Judaism values life and health above all else, so we all need to know how to take care of ourselves. Maintaining our health is even codified as a full-fledged commandment by physician and philosopher Moses Maimonides (1135-1204). In his collection of Jewish laws called the Mishneh Torah, he wrote:
“It is a positive commandment to remove any obstacle that could pose a danger to life, and to be very careful regarding these matters, as the Torah teaches, ‘Take utmost care for yourself; and guard yourself scrupulously’” (Deut. 4:9).
Knowing how to take care of yourself means knowing what options you have in a crisis. However, with the plethora of choices now available to most people, deciding which one is best for you can be overwhelming. We hope this short guide to the options you have for mental health care gives you some clarity about the different types of therapies and treatments are out there and allows you to fulfill the commandment to care for your health presented by Maimonides.
