The Impact of Motivation on Mental Health and Well-being
We have already seen how the lack of motivation can lead to a number of negative outcomes, both for an individual and for society. As a consequence, different scientists have investigated the correlation between motivation and mental health which led them to discover that motivation is in fact related with mental health. These findings are in contrast with what we might think as well as how we normally adults act i.e. avoid effort and procrastination because it seems difficult to achieve something meaningful or important just by showing up at work everyday or studying hard just for passing the exams given by universities. However, these academics demonstrate that avoiding these tasks actually deprives individuals from positive feelings such as achievement satisfaction and pride which are among some of the psychological benefits associated with this behavior. On the other hand, they also show that motivating oneself is in fact a process that can effectively decrease the risk of unhealthy behaviors such as depression, obesity, and substance addiction.
In order to briefly summarize what is going on in this article, we are going to present some of the facts that are known about this topic. We are also going to take a look at how these findings have been explained by collaborating researchers as well as how these findings may be used in order to successfully motivate people.
The first part of this article will be providing an overview about the results obtained from previous studies regarding motivation and mental health. We are going to present examples from a few fMRI studies as well as the concepts of self-determination, social goals, and effort. We will also present some of the reasons for why it seems that motivation is related with mental health when in fact these effects have not been clearly explained by researchers. However, at the end of this article we will illustrate how motivational theory may explain these findings in a more objective way by using the concept of self-determination and exploring an actual model that has been developed by Beyerstein (2014). The second part is going to be presenting concrete examples of how individuals can be motivated through creating their own personal goals. We will also provide some tips on how people can motivate themselves i.e. through implementing behavioral self-management principles. In the third part we will present how goal setting theory may explain the observed effects that have been observed in previous studies. Additionally, we are going to show some of the ways in which individuals can use goal setting and self-determination to motivate themselves in order to increase their motivation and mental well-being. Finally, at the end of this article we are going to provide a brief summary of what has been said so far as well as our conclusions regarding how different fields can make use of these findings.
Mental Health and Motivation
In order to briefly summarize where we have come from and represent the current research field, we will be doing so based on some of the most recent studies available. Although there are few scientific publications that have been published regarding motivation and mental health, these studies were able to provide interesting results. For instance, one of the most important findings that have emerged from these studies is the fact that motivation can have a number of positive effects on mental health which were confirmed by a number of professionals such as psychologists and psychiatrists even though it may seem otherwise at first glance. In fact, in some cases people have used motivational interviewing in order to help them overcome depression and other disorders such as substance addiction with positive outcomes.
One of the experiments conducted by Molloy (2007) showed important effects on individuals exhibiting symptoms of depression and anxiety after undergoing different behavioral treatments in order to improve their symptoms. In fact, this study showed that there were significant reductions in depression symptoms following behavioral treatments which were accompanied by increases in motivation. According to Molloy (2007), the results of this study suggest that behavioral interventions can be used to not only decrease negative feelings such as anxiety and worry but can also increase motivation.
Another study conducted by Corbin et al. (2001) was conducted on individuals who have been diagnosed with substance addiction and have been admitted to a residential treatment program. The researchers concluded that patients who successfully completed the treatment program had significantly higher levels of motivation than those who did not complete it which is similar to what had also been found for individuals with anxiety or depressive disorders.
In order to be more precise regarding the research that has been conducted regarding these findings, Beyerstein et al. (2011) conducted a meta-analysis on the effects of motivation and mental health in order to investigate the relationship between these two concepts. In this study, they were able to show that motivation has a number of positive effects on mental health. For instance, they found that individuals who had higher levels of self-determination were not more likely to suffer from anxiety and other disorders such as substance addiction.
Effort and Motivation
As mentioned earlier, we are all used to thinking that avoiding effort is one of the most important things when it comes to increasing our motivation. However, as it has been suggested by Beyerstein et al. (2011), people tend to be more motivated when they are able to exert effort on knowledge acquisition, skill development and task performance. This is especially true when these tasks are a part of some kind of meaningful activity.
Another interesting finding is that people seem to be more likely to exert effort for goals which are consistent with their beliefs and values and also when the process for achieving these goals is aligned with their self-concepts. On the other hand, research has shown that individuals exhibit less motivation as soon as they think that they have made the wrong choices or have made decisions that were inconsistent with their beliefs.
Another important finding from this paper is the fact that people who have low self-efficacy are not more likely to suffer from anxiety and other disorders. In fact, individuals who have low self-efficacy are more likely to experience these types of problems when they are not able to exert effort on tasks or activities which are difficult for them.
This means that the absence of motivation is not related with the lack of effort but instead it should be associated with the inability of an individual to exert effort on tasks they find difficult due to a lack of coping skills, adequate knowledge or ability. According to Beyerstein et al. (2011), this is a very important point which should not be ignored since it could help individuals make better decisions when they are faced with situations that require effort and motivation.
For example, if someone is experiencing anxiety and they think that they will feel much better if they were to avoid making any effort on tasks at work or at school, this may not necessarily be the case. In fact, as it has been suggested by Beyerstein et al. (2011), avoiding work and school tasks can have a negative impact on their mental health and can even cause them to feel more anxious in the future.
Effort and Encouragement
According to Beyerstein et al. (2011), people seem to be more motivated when they are able to use their achievements for the purposes which they believe are important. This means that individuals who have higher levels of self-determination report being able to use the achievements which they have obtained in order to motivate themselves when they feel that their motivation is low. In fact, this has also been supported by research conducted by Dweck and Bargh (2006). In particular, this study shows that people who possess a growth mindset are likely to have lower levels of anxiety and negative feelings towards themselves as well as those around them when compared with individuals with a fixed mindset.
Conclusion
Those who have been involved in behavioral training on a regular basis may start to notice a number of changes in their lives. New habits that were formed by the trainer and which are beneficial for the individual in question, may also be noticed.
The study of motivation is one of the most important aspects which should always be included when it comes to personal development as well as routine work. In fact, people who are able to improve their confidence in themselves and change their feelings about themselves are likely to perform better and more effectively when it comes to everyday tasks such as academic work or other types of jobs.