“IT’S ALL IN MY MIND: THE

PORTRAIT OF MY STRUGGLES
AGAINST FEAR AND ANXIETY”
The Personal Beliefs on the
Essence of Mental Wellbeing
 BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY
“Essence of Mental Wellbeing Theory: The Effects of Personal Beliefs,
Life Events, Life’s Meaning, Life Satisfaction and Happiness”
• Mental wellbeing is what everyone wants to achieve (Stones, 2002)
• It plays a vital role for one to function soundly in his everyday life resulting to a higher
satisfaction in life (Deacon, Carlin, Spalding, Giles, Stansfield, Hughes, Perkins & Bellis,
2009)
• It is being very important among other dimensions of wellbeing because this
includes healthier lifestyles/behaviors, ability to recover more rapidly, attain higher
education and high levels of employment, better earning, better relationships, more
social cohesion and engagement, improved quality of life and longevity (Public
Mental Health and Wellbeing, 2011)
• It also reduces population mortality, crime, health risk behaviors (like smoking) and
prevents illnesses
• It is therefore evident that mental wellbeing is the core of resilience for every
individual and community and determines a more flourishing and fulfilling life in any
settings (Deacon, Carlin, Spalding, Giles, Stansfield, Hughes, Perkins & Bellis, 2009).
• Moreover, a person with good mental wellbeing means has good mental health life
(“Mind for Better Mental Health”, 2013)
 BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY
“Essence of Mental Wellbeing Theory: The Effects of Personal Beliefs,
Life Events, Life’s Meaning, Life Satisfaction and Happiness”

• The main purpose of the study is to substantiate

the theory on Essence of Mental Wellbeing in
providing proofs and evidences among the
experiences of older adults and personal
experiences.
 OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY
RESEARCH
SPECIFIC OBJECTIVES AXIOMS PROPOSITION
DESIGN
1. To deduce the meaning 1. Mental #1- AUTOETHNO-
or essence of mental wellbeing is
defined in “Attainment GRAPHY
wellbeing from different many ways of mental
perspectives – personal 2. Variations in
experiences and older the
wellbeing PHENOMENO-
adults’ experiences; perceptions depends on LOGY
2. To assess the attainment of their state how the
of mental
of mental wellbeing of the wellbeing is person
older adults based on influence by defines it”
their perspectives; several
factors
 OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY
RESEARCH
SPECIFIC OBJECTIVES AXIOMS PROPOSITION
DESIGN
3. To find out on how 2. Variations in #2-“Both MULTIPLE CASE
the positive and STUDY
significant are the perceptions of
negative life
positive and their state of
mental events can
negative life events wellbeing is contribute to
of older adults influence by the attainment
contribute to the several factors of a person’s
3. Every person
attainment of mental experiences
mental
wellbeing; both positive wellbeing”
and negative
life events
 OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY
RESEARCH
SPECIFIC OBJECTIVES AXIOMS PROPOSITION
DESIGN
4. To relate mental 2. Variations in the #3- MULTIPLE CASE
perceptions of “Understanding STUDY
wellbeing of older their state of
the meaning of
adults to their mental
wellbeing is life has
understanding on influence by influence on a
the meaning of life; several factors person’s
4. Understanding attainment of
the meaning of
life varies from
mental
one person to wellbeing”
another
 OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY
RESEARCH
SPECIFIC OBJECTIVES AXIOMS PROPOSITION
DESIGN
5.To assess how the 2. Variations in the
perceptions of
#4- “A MULTIPLE CASE
STUDY
attainment of their state of mentally
mental
mental wellbeing wellbeing is healthy DESCRIPTIVE-
relate with the influence by person CORRELATION
several factors DESIGN
older adults’ life 5. Happiness and feels happy
satisfaction and satisfaction in
life can be
and
happiness. attained at a satisfied”
certain level
 RESEARCH PARADIGM

Personal Beliefs Positive and Negative Life Events

Essence
of
Mental Wellbeing

Life Satisfaction and Happiness Understanding Life's meaning

Figure 1. Essence of Mental Wellbeing Theory

 RESEARCH PARADIGM

Personal Beliefs Positive and Negative Life Events

Essence
of
Mental Wellbeing

Life Satisfaction and Happiness Understanding Life's meaning

Figure 1. Essence of Mental Wellbeing Theory

 OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY
RESEARCH
SPECIFIC OBJECTIVES AXIOMS PROPOSITION
DESIGN
1. To deduce the meaning 1. Mental #1- AUTOETHNO-
or essence of mental wellbeing is
defined in “Attainment GRAPHY
wellbeing from different many ways of mental
perspectives – personal 2. Variations in
experiences and older the
wellbeing PHENOMENO
adults’ experiences; perceptions depends on -LOGY
of their state how the
2. To assess the attainment of mental
wellbeing is person
of mental wellbeing of the
older adults based on
influence by defines it”
several
their perspectives; factors
“IT’S ALL IN MY MIND: THE
PORTRAIT OF MY STRUGGLES
AGAINST FEAR AND ANXIETY”
The Personal Beliefs on the
Essence of Mental Wellbeing
 RATIONALE
• “It is the thought that counts” is an adage which usually relates to gift giving
• In psychology, Greenberger and Padesky (2015), authors of the book entitled “The
Mind Over Mood” define “it’s the thought that counts” as a mental activity which is
superior among others through the way a person perceives the life events and
experiences and powerfully influence his/her emotional, behavioral and
physiological or physical responses.
• person’s ability to choose one thought over another is everybody’s ultimate defense
against stressful events (Mid-Columbia Senior Center, 2014) .
• when the brain processes the thought, it is the thought where stress is
created if one views it negatively. Therefore, it is actually the person’s
thinking that brings the stress (Evans, 2012).
• Hence, Greenberger and Padesky (2015) emphasize the need for every person to
change the way he thinks in order to change the way he feels.
• Similarly, Dr. Mike Evans (2012), who wrote and narrated the video entitled “What is
the single most important thing you can do for stress?” points out that the single most
important thing one can do for stress is changing the person’s thinking style because
it is the thinking that brings stress
 RATIONALE
• In like manner when attaining mental wellbeing,
changing the way a person thinks is an important
step to do because how a person thinks about a
certain incident would greatly affect his life, it
would either be improving his wellbeing or
negatively affecting his mental wellbeing.
• This relates to the Essence of Mental Wellbeing
theory because a person can attain mental
wellbeing depending on how a person defines
mental wellbeing which is affected by several
factors that would influence the person on
understanding and perceiving mental wellbeing
(Ediza, 2017)
 METHOLODOGY - AUTOETHNOGRAPHY
Research Design
Qualitative : Autoethnography
• a qualitative research design which contains a combination of the
characteristics between autobiography and ethnography (Ellis, Adams &
Bochner, 2011).
• It is also a blend of the following terms: “graphy” for “research process”,
“ethno” which means on “culture” and “self” as “auto” (Chang, 2008).
• While for Ellis (2004) and Holman Jones (2005), described it as a composition
of “seeking to describe and systematically analyze (graphy) personal
experience (auto) in order to understand cultural experience (ethno)” (Ellis,
et al., 2011, para 1).
• It employs the research methods of ethnography focusing on the cultural
connection between self and others signifying the characteristics of a
society (Chang, 2008).
• An approach in which it seeks to convey and efficiently analyze personal
experience to have a better understanding of cultural experience
 METHOLODOGY - AUTOETHNOGRAPHY
• Story Telling Procedure
• Writer recalled and analyzed the kind of story she wrote.
One criterion which she believed significant to narrate was
an unpleasant or undesirable negative life events affecting
mental wellbeing.
• The researcher did a lot of brainstorming first before starting
to write a snapshot story, made an outline of events,
created association diagrams so that the presentation may
not only be chronological in order but also according to the
framework of Essence of Mental Wellbeing.
• Beyond its chronological arrangement, more specified
themes may arise from the story that would also require
more detailed discussion of the meaning of the story.
 METHOLODOGY - AUTOETHNOGRAPHY

Story Telling Procedure

The writer will use snapshots or vignettes in the
presentations of stories instead of composing
autobiographical field texts being the first
step used by Chang (2008).
The Impact on the Roots of My Stressful Emotions
Snapshot No. 1: Doctor’s Clinic, March 2014
“Rudy Ediza”, the secretary is now calling my husband’s name signaling us to enter the room of the
cardiologist - Dr. SBH. I am already nervous at that time because when my husband called me earlier through my
cellphone, I know there was something wrong since he had been complaining recurrence of chest discomfort
whenever he exerted minimal effort although, I had been convincing him to see a doctor many times after the first
attack. So, on our way to the room, I prayed, “Lord, I hope his condition is not that serious.”
“I have been experiencing chest tightness these past few days and 2 hours earlier the feeling was associated with
difficulty of breathing just like the first attack I had 3 weeks ago.” My husband presented his concerns when the doctor
asked his chief complaints.

The doctor started his physical examination and after taking his blood pressure, she informed us that the result was
quite high, “its 150/100.” She performed ECG (Electronic Cardiogram) to my husband and while looking at the ECG
result, she asked my husband, “What else did you feel? Are you experiencing cold sweat?”
My husband answered, “Yes doc, I usually experienced cold and clammy skin.”
The doctor looked at me directly and told me, “We need to admit your husband to the hospital now, his ECG result
shows he has ischemia and signs of heart attack, he must be treated immediately.”

The words were floating in my mind, as if it would refuse to sink in to my thought and I said to myself, “My God!
Heart attack???... Lord God…no please!!!” I felt so nervous and my face really looked worried. But then I realized I had
to calm down for my husband.
“I experienced an emotional roller coaster”
 METHOLODOGY - AUTOETHNOGRAPHY

•Story Telling Procedure

•The writer will combine the
presentation with the use of
proverbs, sayings, adage or
byword, and pictures that
reminded her of her
experiences.
“It’s All In My Mind” is the title of my personal life story which I wanted to share to
everyone because it illustrates how powerful the mind in affecting mood, behavior
and physical/physiologic responses and how the environmental factors influence the
thought process that happened in the mind. It was a struggle against the negative
emotions, a story of ups and downs, and how I managed many times to fight my fear
and anxiety that over ruled my mind. Hence, I represent my life’s quest for mental
wellbeing with the image in Figure 3:

The figure shows how I looked when I was struggling from my fear and anxiety which proportionally affected me
physically, mentally, emotionally, and psychologically, my work performance, my daily activities and interactions
with other people. According to Billy Graham of Evangelistic Association– GEA (2015),
 METHOLODOGY - AUTOETHNOGRAPHY
Data Analysis
• cluster and emergent themes will be
formulated from the snapshots’ stories that
will be examined and analyzed.
• Each of the snapshots will be labeled with a
theme.
• The formulated themes are the identified
components, fragments of ideas or
experiences brought together to give
meaning to the whole experience through
the autoethnographic photo album.
 Negative Emotions Have Taken Control over My Mind
Snapshot No. 6: FSUU St. Aloysius Chapel, September 2014

It had been my personal practice to hear mass every day in our school’s chapel as long as I did not have schedule for classes, meetings and
other school related important activities.

But one day (after what happened to me in the cities of Cebu and Bagiuo, and the 2 oral defenses) while I was attending the mass in the chapel and
when it was time to sing the Lord’s Prayer, suddenly something evil thought disrupted my concentration and seemed to be telling me “what if you will faint
Ruby?” or “what if when you walk to the center isle to receive the host during the communion you will collapse?” My heart again started to beat faster and
faster and faster….and this time with premature beats, I did a lot of deep breathings and prayed hard but I was still restless.

As I was about to receive the communion still feeling the unusual heartbeat, I felt dizzy and restless as my heartbeat grew faster as if I would have a
heart attack anytime. I really tried my best to fight the emotions, telling myself while doing the deep breathing, “three more persons left, then it’s my turn to
receive the communion… two more persons left….one more…and at last it’s my turn….then I immediately sat down.” I could still feel the pounding heartbeat
and the last thing I wanted to do was to leave the chapel and went to my office…but I waited patiently…praying hard…struggling…restless…until the mass
ended. So, I immediately left the chapel and ran upstairs going to the second floor where my office was. I ran because I wanted to check if I would have a
heart attack after doing strenuous activities and to divert my attention. The good thing was….I did not faint nor collapse…but my heart was still beating fast,
so I sat down on my office chair and prayed again while closing my eyes (nobody was in my office since it was past 6:00 in the evening), “Lord, I lift up
everything to you, I surrender and offer myself to you! Thy will be done”.... After a few minutes, I calmed down, my heart was now beating normally and I
decided to go home.

When I was at the guard’s post waiting for my husband to fetch me, one of the staff in the Registrar’s office noticed me and said, “Ma’am I will be
sending a document to your office tomorrow for your signature.” I just nodded to acknowledge the information I received. But she continued, “Ma’am are
you okay? Is there something wrong with you?” I was surprised with her comments because I thought I was good at hiding what I felt inside, pretending that
everything was fine and surprisingly somebody had recognized that I really was not fine. So I replied, “I am just tired ma’am, thank you.” It was true I was
tired.

When I arrived at home, I went immediately to our room and lied down feeling weak. My husband was surprised to see me in bed because I had not
eaten dinner yet, so he asked, “Is there something wrong hon?”
I looked at him and burst into tears while telling him, “Hon I thought, I’m going to die today…” Then I told him everything that happened.

“I was afraid of the evils in my mind”

 METHOLODOGY - AUTOETHNOGRAPHY

• Data Analysis
• Autoethnographic album
• Over-all made up of textual
snapshots together with the
cluster and emergent themes
describing author’s reflective
thoughts on the essence of
mental wellbeing
 ENVIRONMENT

SUMMARY OF FINDINGS
The Impact on the Roots of My Stressful Emotions

I experienced an emotional I experienced shocked and in

I experienced dismay
rollercoaster denial

STRESSORS

MIND/THOUGHT

REACTIONS/RESPONSES

MOOD
Negative Emotions have
Power Over My Mind
• I am worried about my
heartburn
• I was apprehensive with
my previous experience
• I was afraid of the evils
in my mind
PHYSICAL
The Uncontrollable Physical
Responses of My Body
• I was trembling and I
could not sleep
• I started to feel GI upset,
aches and pain
• I am manifesting
unexplainable feeling of
discomfort
BEHAVIOR
My Pursuit to Attain Mental Wellbeing
NEGATIVE POSITIVE
• I’m becoming withdrawn • I seek spiritual help
• I got phobia • I become courageous
• I’m pre-occupied with my in asking help from a
worries than distinguished person
concentrating with my • I made connections
work with my family and even
• I lost my passion in my through social
work networking
• I pray a lot but I still worry

Figure 9. Portrait: Personal Beliefs on the Essence of Mental Wellbeing

 CONCLUSIONS
• First, the mind or thought has a powerful functions in controlling
our mood, physical reactions and behavioral responses. When a
person is in panic attack, it is really difficult to control his/her
mood and physical reactions once it started to manifest but if
the main source of the problem which is being aware of
everything then it would be easy to control the mind hence,
negative effect will not be experienced.
• Second, regulating a positive mindset at the very beginning, so
that once exposed to normal stresses of life or extremely stressful
situations, the reactions would be lighter and not too harmful to
the body or no panic attack will happen. Since it is the mind that
brings the stress.
 CONCLUSIONS
• Third, the environment matters a lot. The environment
symbolizes the influencing factors affecting the thought
process which plays an important role in understanding,
interpreting and perceiving the stressor. The
environmental factors will either augment or hinder the
thought process to produce a positive perception of the
stressor.
• Fourth, the behavioral responses demonstrate the
characteristics of an attained mental wellbeing. This
would mean that behavioral reactions are actions done
to attain mental wellbeing and one important
characteristic would be the ability to cope with the
normal stresses and extremely stressful situations.
 CONCLUSIONS
• Fifth, characteristics and attributes of mental wellbeing
should look at the problem or view the problem at different
angles, inorder to understand the purpose of experiencing it
rather than perceiving it as a stressful situation because it
makes one weaker when facing future adversities in life.
• Sixth, mental being has no anxiety, no fears, no worries, no
negative traits and attributes, hence, has peace of mind.
 CONCLUSIONS

• Seventh, understanding the meaning of life in relates to the

person’s sense of spirituality and must believe that God is the
most powerful means of healing.
• Lastly, the attainment of mental
wellbeing is not permanent because it
changes from time to time, it may not
be now but can be achieved later.
Thus, attaining mental wellbeing
depends on the situation, mood and
how the mind perceived the stressor.
 CONCLUSIONS
• The observations corroborate with the theory on the Essence of
Mental Wellbeing because once the person is exposed to stress
situations, the mind will process the thought inorder to understand
and interpret the situation before reacting, and the person is
given the chance to choose the correct perceptions (positive) so
that it will yield an appropriate (positive) reaction. However, the
mind processing thought is significantly affected by the
environmental factors surrounding the person since the
influencing factor will either be of help or weaken the process in
producing the correct perception of the stressor. This then will
give signal to mood, body, and behavior for their reactions
(Ediza, 2017).
 ESSENCE OF MENTAL WELLBEING:
THE PERSPECTIVE OF THE WRITER
The Essence of Mental Wellbeing :
• refers to maintaining a positive state of mind through awareness on the thought process
and the impact of the environmental factors so that an appropriate response to body, mood
and behavior are achieved, thus, able to cope with the normal and extremely stressful
situations effectively.
• refers to viewing the life’s struggles at different angles inorder to get the true meaning of
the experiences, hence, perceiving both positive and negative life events positively
contributing to the person’s happiness and satisfaction.
• refers to having peace of mind and strong connections with God which develop his sense of
spirituality
• refers to manifesting the positive traits and attributes of a person, passionate in his daily
work and obligations, has love and concerns to his family and other people, willing to help
others especially those in need and continues doing kindness to others.