Think, Feel, Do for healthy balance

By Claire Houston
NH Mirror Contributor

Balance, from a mental health perspective, can be looked at using a simple model: Think, Feel, Do. People are at their best when their days are a balance of these three mental processes.

When someone is out of balance with one of the three, dysfunction occurs. For example, someone who thinks too much, with little action (Do) and little feeling, can develop obsessive disorders. Thoughts you can’t turn off. Compulsions can develop (Did I turn the stove off?) and having to check and recheck can plague their lives, ruminating without any constructive outlet.

Someone might feel, with too little action or thinking. When someone has no outlet for their feelings, either through action or logic, they can develop anxiety disorders. Panic disorder. Somatic symptoms that plague their bodies. Stress-related illness. This is one of the reasons health experts implore us to get exercise. Even if we’re not taking direct action over the issues in our lives, at least we can give productive outlets and balance to the other powerful energies of thinking and feeling.

When someone has the doing aspect of their lives in excess, other problems arise. Impulsive behavior emerges. Impulsive spending or gambling or other addictive behaviors occur. In their effort to not think or feel, they do. This is the imbalance that spawns the extreme sport enthusiasts, the adrenaline junkies, exercise fanatics. Addictions develop. With no constructive way to channel their thoughts and emotions, they reach for action. Instead of ready, aim fire, they look more like fire, ready, aim.

It’s natural for anyone to have one of the three as more dominant. Some people are naturally more empathic feelers, or more logical thinkers, or take action more readily. Without this variety, we wouldn’t be the unique people we are.
But when the balance gets so skewed that dysfunctions arise, behaviors or choices spoil your happiness, or the happiness of those you love, then it’s time for a mental health adjustment. It’s time to balance the three major supports of your wellness: Think, Feel, Do.

Claire Houston of Exeter is a licensed psychotherapist. She can be reached at 772-0799. She is also the director of the Women Supporting Women Center. For more information, visit www.wswcenter.com.