The 5 differences between wellness and health (explained)

As they say, health comes first. And it is that surely, the highest priority that we all have in life is to be healthy so that we can enjoy everything else. But you have to be very clear that being healthy goes much further than not suffering from physical and / or emotional illnesses. Being healthy is a very complex physiological state that is also based on achieving optimal psychological well-being.

And it is in this context that two very important terms emerge: health and well-being. Closely related but incorrectly considered as synonyms or concepts that can be interchanged, health and well-being refer to different states that, yes, contribute to a healthy and healthy life both physically and emotionally.

We understand by "health" that physiological state of absence of physical and emotional disease, so that the person is well from the aspect of physical health and mental health. On the other hand, we understand by "well-being" that emotional state in which a person is able to fully realize their abilities and deal with the factors that can disturb them.

But since we know that this main difference is somewhat confusing and, in addition, there are many more nuances to analyze, in today's article and, as always, from the hand of the most prestigious scientific publications, We are not only going to analyze the concepts of "health" and "well-being", but we will also present the main differences between concepts in the form of key points.

What is wellness? And health?

Actually, we are facing two very subjective definition concepts. Even so, before going in depth and presenting the differences between terms in the form of key points, it is interesting (but also important) that we put ourselves in context and understand, individually, what realities each of these concepts appeal to. So let's see what exactly we mean by health and what we mean by well-being.

Health: what is it?

Health is a physiological state in which the person does not suffer from any physical or emotional illness and is capable of exercising their biological functions in a normal way.. Thus, it is a state of equilibrium in which, at an objective level, the absence of injuries, diseases, disorders and harmful factors that may compromise its morphology and / or physiology can be verified.

But it can also be understood as that form of balance at a subjective level in which the person assumes their general state as acceptable. At a specific moment, the person feels that they are well on an emotional and physical level, something that cannot be objectively measured but that can be experienced by the subject. From this union between objectivity and subjectivity, health is born.

As we see, the concept of health is the opposite to that of disease, thus being the term around which the health sciences revolve, especially Medicine, that discipline that is focused on preserving the health of people, both in terms of disease treatment and in terms of state stimulation. optimal physiological is concerned.

In general terms, then, we can understand health as that objective and subjective state in which, in addition to the absence of diseases, injuries and harmful factors that can threaten the morphology and physiology of a person, this feels that he is totally well from both a physical and a psychological perspective, as well as even a social one.

Well-being: what is it?

Well-being is a psychological state in which the person feels that their physical and mental state provides them with feelings of tranquility and satisfaction. Thus, it is an emotional state that is related to the comfort and convenience we feel when inspecting our health and our relationship with ourselves and with what surrounds us and seeing that, indeed, everything is as it should be.

In this context, a person with well-being is one who lives in a state of fullness, feeling good about himself and being satisfied with his life, something that is obviously related to physical and psychological health, but not only with this. And it is that subjective factors also come into play such as personal development, the achievement of goals, pleasure, professional success, social relationships, friendships, love, motivation, joy, healthy lifestyle habits ...

Hence, as we have said in the introduction, wellbeing is a state focused on the realm of mental health in which the person can perform and develop their skills in dealing with the factors that threaten to disturb them. More than the absence of disease, it is the satisfaction we feel when exploring our body and what surrounds us and seeing that everything is where it should be.

Well-being leads us to reach our maximum potential, being a dynamic growth process where health, understood in this case as the absence of disease, is only a small (but very important, yes) part of it. Everything that leads us to develop a positive mental state is related to well-being.

And how each person, according to their psychological nature, pursues certain things to achieve this state of mind of fullness, satisfaction and tranquility, the term "well-being" cannot be general. Each of us feels well-being due to different things, because each one responds differently to what happens around them, relates in a unique way with their body and mind, has a particular idea of ​​what it is to feel good and he pursues specific things in his life.

But leaving aside that the idea of ​​well-being is unique for each person, what is clear is that this well-being is a psychological state of satisfaction and fulfillment in which, in addition to exploring our body and feeling that we are healthy in the section physical and mental, we are satisfied with our life and with ourselves. It is a positive state of mind that leads us to experience enriching emotions of comfort.

How are health and wellness different?

Despite the complexity of this task, after defining both concepts, surely the differences between them have been more than clear. Even so, in case you need (or simply want) to have the information with a more visual nature, we have prepared the following selection of the main differences between health and well-being in the form of key points.

1. Health is primarily objective; well-being, subjective

One of the most important differences. And it is that health, as one of its definitions includes being that state in which physical and mental illnesses are absent, can be considered a more objective concept. And it is that although it also has a subjective part (the person considers their state acceptable), health can be "measured" by inspecting physiological status.

On the other hand, well-being, beyond its relation to health (which we have already said is an important but small part of a very large concept), is almost entirely subjective. And it is that it arises from an internal reflection of the person who, when seeing how he is in the physical, psychological, emotional and social plane, feels positive emotions. Therefore, well-being is very difficult to measure.

2. Health is a physiological state; well-being, psychological

In relation to the previous point, we can say that while health is a physiological state, well-being is a psychological state. Health is the absence of physical and emotional illness and the subjective reflection that the person makes about their state. But at the end of the day, health (or not health) is born from the impact that our body and mind have on our physical and emotional state.

On the other hand, well-being, although it is related to physical health, basically emanates from the internal reflection we make about our psychological state. Therefore, well-being, more than an adequate physiological state, is a positive emotional state in which we feel good about ourselves and our surroundings.

3. Well-being is associated only with emotional health; health, also with physics

As we just said, the concept of well-being is exclusively associated with mental healthWell, it is that emotionally positive state that we experience when, on a psychological level, we feel good. On the other hand, health, although it is obvious that it is also related to the psychological entity since it is that state where we do not suffer from mental health problems, it also includes all the physical part, that is, not having problems in other organs and tissues of the body.

4. Each person has a different concept of well-being

While, beyond the subjective part of it, the concept of health can be more objective since the absence or presence of physical or mental illnesses can, through clinical diagnoses, be measured. Thus, many of us share the same idea of ​​what health is if we understand it as the absence of disease.

Instead, Well-being, arising from an internal and totally personal reflection about our physical, emotional and social state, is a unique concept for each person. And it is that although we can share with other people some ideas of what well-being is for us, there will be no one with exactly the same concept. Let us remember that well-being does not only include health, but also personal development, goals, motivation, friendships, lifestyle, love, professional success, financial stability, etc.

5. Health can be called well-being; but not the other way around

And we end up with a difference that, rather than throwing new data at what we have already seen, will allow us to speak more properly. And it is that according to what the World Health Organization (WHO) establishes, health can also be called well-being. That is, it is correct to refer to the absence of disease as well-being.

But, on the other hand, well-being cannot be called health. That is, it is incorrect to refer to the emotional and psychological state of satisfaction we feel when we analyze our relationship with ourselves and with what surrounds us as health. But, at the end of the day and despite what the definitions establish, health and well-being are closely related. There is no health without wellness. And there is no well-being without health. This is the most important of all.