Never underestimate the power of emotions. Much of the time, they hold sway over reason and thus have more power over our behavior. This is nothing to be ashamed of; nature deliberately programmed us this way. It is possible to control our emotions to some degree, but first we need to understand them. Specifically, we need to know if certain emotions are more dominant than they should be, exerting excessive control over our feelings and behavior.

For example, are your moods dominated by sadness, even when there's nothing specifically to be sad or blue about? Or do you experience fear, sometimes intensely, for no apparent reason. Perhaps you worry all the time, even when things are going fine. Emotional issues such as these affect millions of people worldwide. They are nothing to be ashamed of, and they can be helped.

Our emotions are influenced by many factors. Diet, lifestyle, genetics, environment, and stress all affect the way we feel. And while everyone feels sad, blue, fearful, or anxious occasionally, a significant minority of people can become trapped by their emotions, making it difficult to concentrate, make good decisions, find pleasure in daily activities, or enjoy the company of others. If you get stuck in a particular emotion, experiencing it too frequently or at inappropriate times, it can wear you down and make life a lot less enjoyable and productive.

Our Emotional Health Assessment looks at the ways in which your emotions affect your daily life, particularly whether they may be impairing your ability to enjoy life and function at your best. The assessment also looks at how you respond to stress, and whether you might be suffering from an anxiety disorder, depression, panic attacks, social phobia, sleep disturbance, or post-traumatic stress. We then give you suggestions on how to best deal with any issues that came up, including whether you might benefit from professional evaluation and treatment. Regardless of the result, however, any significant emotional or mental health concerns should also be discussed with your physician or therapist.

Once you have completed the Emotional Health Assessment, you might want to take some of our other assessments that deal with stress and related emotional issues. These include our Depression Consultation, Stress Style Profile and Stress Management Assessment, and the Post-Traumatic Stress Assessment, among others. Any of these assessments that are particularly relevant to you will be mentioned in the results of the Emotional Health Assessment.

Good emotional health is every bit as important as good physical health. In fact, it's nearly impossible to have one without the other. Use this assessment as one tool to help you maximize your overall health and your enjoyment of life.