Mental Health Creed
- I believe in God, and with His help I will make my life significant.
- I will adapt to life immediately, completely and gracefully.
- I will work, rest, exercise, play--every day.
- I will work at a worthwhile job.
- I will avoid undue fatigue.
- I will laugh more every day.
- I will form good habits of living, thinking, acting, speaking, and feeling.
- I believe: that self-pity, suspicion, envy, jealousy and revenge are useless sentiments. That loyalty, courage and kindness are dependable sentiments; in them I will put my trust.
- I will discount harmful emotional urges, avoid emotional orgies, and keep away from emotionally undisciplined people.
- I will face facts, discount my likes and dislikes, and cultivate an objective point of view.
- I will know myself, accept my liabilities, and cultivate my assets.
- I will make clear-cut decisions and abide by them.
- I do not expect to get precisely what I want in this world. I will not kick against the pricks of life. I expect trouble and have accepted inevitable difficulty, that I may be free to accept opportunity unhandicapped by a sense of difficulties.
- I know that fear, anxiety and worry cannot hurt me. They threaten to destroy, but they possess no weapons other than the ones I give them. Even though afraid, anxious, and worried, I shall continue with my usual activities, knowing that fear is the normal stimulus to courage.
- I choose to see the good aspects and meanings of life. I do not deny that ugliness and evil exist; I do not overlook them, but having seen them I choose to look for the good.
- I know and will help others to remember that humanity is a vast reservoir of love, courage, helpfulness, strength and ability. I shall draw on it without limit to help others and myself.
William M. Terhune, M.D.
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