Imagination is a capacity to form mental images, sensations, and representations without the use of the senses, and is commonly associated with creativity.
What is Imagination?
Imagination is often used colloquially to refer to the ability to think creatively by dreaming up novel scenarios, fantastical stories, and visual representations. Creative people such as artists and writers are often conceived of as having powerful, active imaginations. In psychology, imagination generally refers to the ability to mentally represent sensations that are not physically present. For example, when a person contemplates the smell and taste of a lemon without either seeing or tasting the fruit, her or she is engaging in imagination.
Imagination is an important part of human cognition, and the ability to imagine things that have not actually occurred may even be unique to humans. Young children often become very imaginative as part of their development, and this imaginative capacity can help them develop empathy, the ability to take on another’s perspective and the ability to anticipate consequences to their actions. Some therapists use play therapywith young children, taking advantage of their active imaginations to help them resolve conflicts and develop coping strategies.
Imagination’s Role in Mental Health
Imagination plays a number of important roles in mental health. The ability to contemplate things that are not actually happening can contribute to mental health problems such as anxiety and delusions. But imagination can also play a powerful role in healing. Some therapists encourage their clients to envision happy endings, positive outcomes, and peaceful locations to improve emotional and mental well-being. Imagination can play a role in focused meditation when, for example, a client is encouraged to envision a safe, comfortable space as a way to cope with fear or depression.
The imagination was of particular importance to psychologist Carl Jung, who emphasized the importance of dreams to the unconscious mind.
Dreams are a form of imagination because they represent images, sounds, and smells that are not actually occurring.
Common Mental Illnesses
You may be asking yourself: “Why do I feel scared all the time” or “Is my child depressed?” or wondering what kinds of mental illness children, teens and adults may experience. Well, there are a lot. The brain is a complicated organ, but luckily, there are lots of professional treatment options for all of these common conditions to get you, a loved one or friend back to thriving!
It’s important to know that it’s normal to feel some of the different symptoms associated with mental illness from time to time. But if it’s affecting your everyday life, if you stop participating in activities you love or if it’s disrupting your success in school, you may want to seek help. Rule of thumb: if you’re suffering, get professional mental health help. You don’t have to feel this way.
Remember: mental illness is a flaw in chemistry, not character.
Anxiety Disorder
Your heart’s racing. Your mind goes blank. Your face begins to flush and you feel dizzy and tingly all over. But you’re not gearing up to make a speech in class or to kick off the big game. You’re just sitting in your room listening to music and hanging out. So why do you feel this way?
Anxiety disorders are a group of conditions that make you feel scared, distressed, excessively worried – even when no real threat exists. In fact, if left untreated you may find yourself so uneasy that you no longer feel comfortable hanging out with friends or going to school.
Other symptoms of anxiety disorder include:
Constantly worrying over big issues and little ones
Restlessness, on edge and unable to relax
Fatigue
Trouble falling or staying asleep
Difficulty concentrating
Irritability
Muscle aches and tension
Sweating, nausea or diarrhea
Shortness of breath or fast heart rate
There are several types of anxiety disorders, and know that if you feel anxious from time to time, it doesn’t necessarily mean you have one.
Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)
You can’t sit still. Your mind is going in a gazillion different directions. You’re constantly shifting gears and can’t seem to focus on one thing at a time.
While it’s normal to feel overly stimulated and act on impulse from time to time, if you feel yourself acting more like this than not, you could have some level of ADHD. But don’t worry: ADHD is the most common type of behavioral issue among kids and teens, and there are lots of things you can do to manage the condition.
Symptoms of ADHD include:
Can’t seem to pay attention
Daydreaming
Difficulty following directions
Failure to listen
Forgetful
Poor organizational skills
Can’t finish homework or home chores
Easily distracted
Fidgety
Extremely talkative
Can’t wait to chime in on an activity or conversation
Disruptive in social situations
Even though you might feel you do these things from time to time, it doesn’t mean you for certain have ADHD.
Bipolar Disorder
One day you’re singing and dancing in your bedroom to one of your favorite songs. The next day you’ve stopped dead in your tracks because life could not be worse than it is right now.
Bipolar disorder is far more serious than if you just suffer from the occasional mood swings. Mood swings are normal, especially if you are in junior high or high school. It’s really just part of the growing up process. However, if these shifts in your personality begin to take control of your entire life and affect how you function at home, school and with your friends, you may want to talk with someone you trust – especially if other people seem to be worrying about your behavior.
Symptoms of bipolar disorder include:
Severe temper
Rapid mood changes
Reckless behavior
Aggression
Intense periods of giddiness, followed by bouts of crying
Bipolar disorder is very complex and there are many different ways the condition can show up in a person. If left untreated, many people with bipolar disorder become chronically depressed – sometimes even suicidal.
Depression
You can’t get out of bed. You stopped doing your hair and worrying about what to wear the next day. You barely have the energy to brush your teeth, let alone get your homework done or go out with friends. You’ve lost your appetite, too, or maybe you’re eating too much. You may have even thought about ending it all.
Depression is one of the most common issues affecting people of all ages. But just because you feel sad and lonely on occasion doesn’t mean you have depression.
Symptoms of depression include:
- Sad feelings
- Bouts of crying
- Anger, frustration, irritability over insignificant situations
- Loss of interest in activities you once enjoyed
- Feeling worthless
- Guilt
- Feeling as though you’ve failed
- Self-blame
- Trouble making decisions or thinking and remembering
- Feeling that life is not worth the hassle
- Thinking about death and suicide
- Fatigue
- Sleeping too much or not enough
- Eating too much or not enough
- Abusing alcohol or drugs
- Restlessness
- Slow reaction time
- Failing grades
- Skipping school
- Behaving in a risky way
- Self-harm (cutting, piercing, burning)
If you have a few or lots of these symptoms, talk with a friend or trusted family member or teacher about it. You don’t have to feel this way, and there are lots of resources and options to help you feel better right now and well down the road.
References :
https://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/psychpedia/imagination
Imagination, mental imagery, consciousness and cognition. (n.d.). Imagery-Imagination.com. Retrieved from http://www.imagery-imagination.com/
http://www.imaginethriving.org/mental-illnesses/
