Mental Wealth: Reframing How We View Mental Health
- Nisi Bennett
- May 8
- 6 min read
The Money We Don't Talk About
Last month, Sheila missed three days of work. Her company's HR system automatically categorized these absences as "sick days," but Sheila wasn't physically ill. She was experiencing a mental health crisis—the culmination of months of mounting anxiety, sleepless nights, and an increasing sense of disconnection. When her colleague asked why she'd been absent, Sheila mumbled something about "a stomach bug." After all, admitting to mental health challenges still feels taboo in many workplaces.
What if, instead of hiding her struggle, Sheila had been able to say, "I needed to reinvest in my mental wealth"? What if our society valued mental health as much as financial health?
The Crisis of Mental Poverty
When we discuss wealth, we immediately think of financial assets—money in the bank, investments, property. But there's another form of wealth that fundamentally impacts every aspect of our lives: mental wealth. And just as financial poverty creates barriers to opportunity and wellbeing, mental poverty—the depletion of our psychological resources—limits our ability to thrive.
The statistics are sobering. According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), 1 in 5 U.S. adults experiences mental illness each year, while 1 in 20 experiences serious mental illness (NAMI, "Mental Health By the Numbers," 2023). These numbers don't capture the human cost—the relationships strained, the potential unrealized, the joy diminished.
We're facing a crisis of mental poverty, yet we continue to approach mental health reactively, addressing it only when problems become too severe to ignore. This approach is equivalent to waiting until you're in financial bankruptcy before thinking about money management.
From Stigma to Investment: The Mental Wealth Paradigm Shift
The good news? We can change this narrative. Just as financial literacy has become increasingly valued, we can develop mental health literacy that transforms how we understand and prioritize psychological wellbeing.
The concept of "mental wealth" invites us to view our psychological resources as assets that require conscious investment, regular maintenance, and strategic growth. Rather than seeing mental health only through the lens of problems and disorders, we recognize it as a continuum where everyone—regardless of diagnosis—has the opportunity to build greater reserves of resilience, emotional intelligence, and psychological flexibility.
This shift in perspective changes everything. When mental health becomes mental wealth:
Prevention becomes priority. Rather than waiting for crisis, we engage in daily practices that build our psychological capital.
Treatment becomes investment. Seeking therapy or other support isn't an admission of weakness but a strategic decision to enhance our mental assets.
Conversation becomes normalized. Discussing our mental wealth management becomes as common as talking about retirement plans or exercise routines.
The Three Components of Mental Wealth
Understanding mental wealth requires recognizing its three key components:
1. Psychological Capital
This includes our internal resources like resilience, optimism, self-efficacy, and hope. These assets help us bounce back from setbacks, maintain perspective during challenges, and continue moving forward despite obstacles. Research from the field of positive psychology suggests that these qualities aren't fixed traits but skills that can be developed through intentional practice (Seligman, M., & Csikszentmihalyi, M., "Positive Psychology: An Introduction," American Psychologist, 2000).
2. Emotional Intelligence
This encompasses our ability to recognize, understand, and manage our emotions while effectively navigating social interactions. People with higher emotional intelligence typically experience better mental health, stronger relationships, and greater professional success. Like any form of intelligence, it can be enhanced through learning and practice.
3. Mindful Awareness
This involves our capacity to be present, observe our thoughts and feelings without judgment, and make conscious choices rather than reacting automatically. Studies show that mindfulness practices can help reduce stress, anxiety, and depression while improving focus, decision-making, and overall wellbeing (Khoury, B., et al., "Mindfulness-Based Therapy: A Comprehensive Meta-Analysis," Clinical Psychology Review, 2013).
The Mental Wealth Gap
Just as wealth inequality affects communities differently, access to mental health resources and education varies dramatically across populations. Factors like socioeconomic status, race, gender identity, geographical location, and disability status can all impact one's ability to build mental wealth.
Communities that have historically faced discrimination and marginalization often carry additional psychological burdens while having less access to mental health support. Creating truly equitable mental healthcare means acknowledging these disparities and working to ensure everyone has the opportunity to develop mental wealth regardless of their circumstances.
Three Essential Mental Wealth Investment Strategies
Building mental wealth requires intentional investment. Here are three evidence-based approaches that yield significant returns on your mental health investment:
1. Practice Self-Awareness Through Regular Check-Ins
Just as you might review your financial statements monthly, schedule regular mental wealth check-ins. Ask yourself: How are my energy levels? What emotions am I experiencing most frequently? Where am I feeling depleted or overwhelmed?
These assessments help you identify patterns, recognize early warning signs of mental depletion, and make adjustments before reaching crisis. They also help you acknowledge growth and progress—important for maintaining motivation.
2. Diversify Your Coping Strategies
Financial advisors recommend diversified investment portfolios to reduce risk. Similarly, relying on a single coping mechanism for all life challenges leaves you vulnerable when that strategy isn't available or appropriate.
Develop multiple evidence-based coping tools:
Physical practices (exercise, deep breathing, progressive muscle relaxation)
Cognitive approaches (reframing negative thoughts, practicing gratitude)
Social strategies (connecting with supportive people, setting boundaries)
Creative outlets (writing, art, music, dance)
Spiritual practices (meditation, prayer, time in nature)
Having multiple strategies ensures you always have appropriate tools available, regardless of the situation.
3. Make Strategic Support Investments
Successful investors know when to seek expert advice. Similarly, building mental wealth sometimes requires professional guidance. Therapists, coaches, support groups, and mental health education programs can provide specialized knowledge and support that accelerates your mental wealth growth.
Viewing these resources as investments rather than last-resort emergency measures changes how and when we access them. Just as you might consult a financial advisor during stable times to optimize your portfolio, connecting with mental health resources while functioning well can enhance resilience and prevent future crises.
Three Simple Actions to Begin Building Your Mental Wealth Today
Ready to start investing in your mental wealth? These three actions require minimal time but yield significant benefits:
1. Implement the 5-5-5 Breathing Break
Set three alarms throughout your day. When each alarm sounds, wherever you are, take five deep breaths over five seconds each. This micro-practice activates your parasympathetic nervous system, reducing stress hormones and creating a moment of mental clarity. It requires just 50 seconds but interrupts the cycle of stress and trains your brain to return to a centered state quickly.
2. Create a Daily Gratitude Deposit
Each evening, write down three specific things you appreciated about the day. Research from the University of California, Davis shows this simple gratitude practice can significantly increase self-reported happiness and reduce depression symptoms (Emmons, R.A., & McCullough, M.E., "Counting Blessings Versus Burdens," Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 2003). Frame it as making "deposits" into your mental wealth account—small contributions that compound over time into greater wellbeing.
3. Schedule One "Mental Wealth Hour" Weekly
Block 60 minutes on your calendar each week dedicated exclusively to an activity that replenishes your mental resources. This might be a nature walk, reading for pleasure, creating art, or connecting with a friend. The specific activity matters less than the intention—this is protected time for mental wealth building, not an optional luxury to cancel when life gets busy.
The Universal Right to Mental Wealth
The mental wealth framework reminds us of a fundamental truth: everyone deserves access to the resources, knowledge, and support needed to develop psychological wellbeing. This isn't just good for individuals—communities with better mental health resources tend to experience improved community outcomes and better physical health indicators (World Health Organization, "Mental Health Action Plan 2013-2020," 2013).
As we continue to evolve our understanding of what constitutes true prosperity, let's ensure that mental wealth receives the same priority, respect, and attention as financial wealth. After all, without mental wealth, what good is money in the bank?
We are all deserving of mental wealth. The investment starts today.
This blog post is part of our Mental Health Awareness Month series at All Heart Initiative. As stated in our training catalog, "We are changing the way people view mental health and whole health wellbeing. Typically mental health is associated with stigma and challenges. We promote the need for everyone to invest in their mental wellbeing." We believe in promoting investment in selfcare, understanding the uniqueness of others, and building safety nets for people to get help.
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