Mental Wellness: A Spiritual Journey - Softcover

El-Rayes, Hamdy

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0986570605 ISBN 13: 9780986570605

Publisher: Greenview Publishing, 2011

Synopsis

Dr. El-Rayes presents a program of a systematic approach to healing from depression, anxiety, and addiction, and a path to mental wellness to create a much happier and more fulfilling life. Mental wellness goes beyond the concept of mental health -being free of a mental disorder. The program uses evidence-based practices and complements the medical services. It integrates the author's personal experience with the work of several renowned psychologists and psychiatrists, including Abraham Maslow, Aaron Beck, Victor Frankl, Thomas Hora, and others, as well as some of the ancient and contemporary philosophers. Dr. El-Rayes developed this program to help him heal and reach his potential. So far, the program has helped thousands of people. If you suffer from depression, anxiety, or addictions, this book will help you heal and guide you to become the best you. It will facilitate your self-transformation, and your journey to mental wellness. You will be able to learn more about yourself and discover the wonderful person you are, find your own way to spiritual growth, identify your life purpose, enjoy a meaningful and fulfilling life, and make a difference in the world.

About this title

From the Publisher

This book focuses on how to achieve optimal mental wellness—to heal from depression, anxiety and addictions; to discover your talents and gifts and use them effectively to make a difference in the world; to find your life purpose; and to put yourself on the path to self-actualization to become the very best you.

It discusses the difference between mental wellness and mental health. It shows that the pursuit of mental wellness leads to healing from depression and anxiety and contributes to improving your physical health and well-being. The pursuit of mental wellness also enhances your self-worth, self-acceptance, the quality of your ties to others, and your spiritual growth. You choose to undertake projects that give value to your personal life and significantly contribute to your mental health and well-being.

A deeply felt life purpose and a keen desire for spiritual growth, along with other aspects of well-being, can prevent relapses of depression by enabling your body to remain stable in response to stressors. Living meaningfully enables your body and mind to work together to enjoy health and wellness. A life purpose enhances your physical health and your body's function, as well as its physical fitness. This contributes to a stronger immune system, which in turn helps your body to cope with stressors and improve your brain function.

Following the program described in this book will enable you to become an independent thinker, adept at managing your life. You will be better able to share, give of your time generously, accept yourself and others, find your own life purpose, grow spiritually, and make your life a continuous process of learning, changing, and growth. You will also begin to engage in causes that extend beyond your self-interest and support the growth and development of others, as well as improving your environment. You will learn to make a unique contribution to society, pass your skills and gifts to others, and have a positive influence on the lives of many people.

Severe depression is 10 times more prevalent today than it was 50 years ago. It assaults women twice as often as men, and now it strikes a full decade earlier in life on average than it did a generation ago. Consequently, the economic cost of mental illness has been escalating. In Canada and the USA, the annual economic cost of mental illness is estimated to be more than $33 billion and $318 billion, respectively, with the single biggest factor being depression.

The program offered in this book can save the economy millions of dollars and rid patients of unnecessary pain and suffering caused by lengthy episodes of depression and frequent relapses.

I hope that you find the material in this book rewarding, not only for yourself, but also for those with whom you interact.

Spirituality plays an important role in human experience, contributes to our view of the world, and influences our ability to heal from illness, both physical and mental. Being spiritual does not mean having to adhere to a particular set of religious beliefs. However, it does require the development and practice of some skills as described in Chapters 2 and 6.

Several years ago, the author developed and used this program to help himself heal from anxiety and depression. Because of its success, he felt it was his calling to dedicate his life to helping others. He established and funded his charitable organization, the El-Rayes Foundation, to help those who suffer from these illnesses. For five years now, this program has successfully helped thousands of people, both in self-help support groups and one-on-one coaching. The program, which complements medical services, is designed to integrate body, mind, and spirit.

Although it plays a very important role in healing from depression and anxiety, mainstream psychotherapy has ignored spirituality for more than three centuries because of a deliberate disconnection between spirituality and medicine. During the past 350 years, the medical field's perception of spirituality has gone through several stages as described in this book. This book offers clinicians and patients with a process for integrating spirituality in therapy of depression, anxiety, and addiction.

From the Author

Why, despite being the most affluent people in the history of man, are we not any happier?

Why is the suicide rate of youth in North America the highest ever?

Why is severe depression 10 times more prevalent today than it was 50 years ago?

Why is a person who suffered from a depressive episode, 50 percent more vulnerable to another one?

Why do physicians believe that those who suffer from depression will not heal and may depend on medication for life?
 
Is there a way to heal from depression, anxiety, or addiction?

Why, according to Abraham Maslow, can only 2% of the population become self-actualized?

In the past decade, I was guided to find answers to those questions based on scientific research, personal experience, and field application at H.R. Mental Wellness Centre. This was also my impetus to write this book. This research enhanced my knowledge, strengthened my character, and clarified my world-view. It changed me completely and helped me find my path in life. It also enabled me to make my decision to devote my life to help others through my charitable organization, which has helped thousands of people during the past six years. I have never felt happier since I made this decision.

I hope you find this book enlightening and inspiring to find your own life path to more happiness and fulfillment, and a guide that enables you to make a difference in this world.
If you are at the beginning of your professional career or at the peak of your life, I would like you to read this book because you will find the answers to many questions you may have been wondering about. It will help you with your personal life--your relationships with your family, friends, and colleagues. You will develop a completely different perspective on life. Your ideas about raising children will change. Your life will flow smoothly, regardless of the difficulties you may face. If you are going through a difficult time in your life, you will find in this book solace and peace. Worry, anxiety, and depression will disappear from your life. You will see your blessings clearly and will be motivated to give and receive. Your life and those around you will change forever.

All proceeds from the sale of this book will go to fund my charitable organization. Writing this book was very rewarding for me, and it will be even more rewarding when I know that this book has helped just one person to better his/her life. At that moment, I will feel that the purpose of writing this book has been satisfied.

About this edition

• Publisher: Greenview Publishing
• Publication date: 2011
• ISBN 10: 0986570605
• ISBN 13: 9780986570605
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 214