Don’t Neglect Your Mental Health: The Consequences of Poor Self-Care

Aug 1

In today’s fast-paced world, mental health is often treated like a luxury—something we’ll “get to” when everything else is done.

But what if your mental health isn’t just one piece of the puzzle? What if it’s the foundation holding the rest together?

In Catholic counseling and holistic wellness, we recognize that the human person is body, mind, and spirit. True self-care goes deeper than bubble baths and taking a day off. It means nurturing all dimensions of well-being, especially the ones we tend to overlook.

Let’s focus on three out of seven critical areas: Spiritual, Mental, and Emotional well-being—and explore how neglecting them directly impacts your mental health.

1. Spiritual Well-Being ✝️

Your spiritual health is your anchor. Without it, life can feel aimless, heavy, and performance-driven. When you disconnect from God, anxiety and self-doubt often rush in to fill the gap.

Signs you’re neglecting this area:

-Prayer feels like a chore or afterthought
-You're driven by others' approval, not God's
-You feel purposeless or spiritually dry

Small ways to reconnect:

+Begin and end your day with Scripture or silence
+Attend Adoration or receive the Sacraments regularly
+Journal honestly through spiritual dryness

2. Mental Well-Being 🧠

Mental health is more than a diagnosis. It's about clarity, focus, and thought patterns. When you’re not caring for your mental space, life becomes foggy, reactive, and overwhelming.

Signs you’re neglecting this area:

-Constant overthinking or racing thoughts
-Trouble making decisions or focusing
-Harsh inner dialogue or shame-based thoughts

Simple strategies:

+Practice grounding techniques and deep breathing
+Reframe intrusive thoughts with Scripture
+Limit screen time and avoid overstimulation

3. Emotional Well-Being 😊

Feelings that are ignored don’t disappear—they intensify. Suppressing emotions doesn’t make you more “spiritual”; it just disconnects you from your God-given humanity.

Signs you’re neglecting this area:

-Saying “I’m fine” when you’re clearly not
-Feeling guilty for having negative emotions
-Becoming reactive, numb, or resentful

Healing habits:

+Name your emotions daily (without judgment)
+Let the Psalms guide emotional honesty in prayer
+Talk to a therapist, counselor, or spiritual director

Emotional maturity is not the absence of struggle—it’s the presence of awareness, honesty, and grace.

You can’t pour from an empty cup—and God never asked you to.

"Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind…"
(Romans 12:2)

Start small. Choose one area today and care for it like your life depends on it—because it does.

You are worth caring for ❤️

Jacob Frazier

Jacob Frazier, LMHC, MA, NCC, is a mental health counselor with Archangel Catholic.

Jacob holds a master's degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from Gonzaga University. As a mental health counselor, Jacob has a passion for facilitating personal and interpersonal development, vocational/career discernment, and helping people apply their strengths and Catholic faith to the challenges of daily living.

Jacob has extensive clinical history of assessing and working with clients experiencing emotional dysregulation, depression, anxiety, struggling with relationships and commitment, facing addictions, and struggling with trauma.

Jacob is trained in Dialectical Behavioral Therapy, which he used on a treatment team that served individuals with moderate to severe diagnoses. Jacob is also trained in EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization Reprocessing) centered on posttraumatic stress related to abuse, neglect, and other traumatic life experiences. He also has an interest in helping men foster a healthy understanding of masculinity and assist in cultivating virtue.