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"Everyday wellness" is the condition a person is in when he is not in distress or crisis. It means that, given whatever resources he has in life, he is doing the very best he can. Even though he may have problems, he is still having mostly "good days." None of us has good days all the time. None of us are exactly the same every day, and we are not the same as other people. But we can say that we are "doing well" when we are getting our basic needs met. Everyone tries to get their needs met in their own, unique ways.

Abraham Maslow described people’s needs when he developed his "Basic Hierarchy of Human Needs." His description of human needs (with minor modifications) include the following:

• Survival. People need food, water, oxygen, shelter, clothing and sometimes medical care. They also need to want to survive (the will to live).
• Safety and Security. People need to live in a place that is as physically safe as possible, and to feel secure in their environment. They need to know that there is some order in the world and that the world "makes sense."
• Cognitive Functioning. People need to be able to think clearly enough to do what they need to do to get through their day (get dressed, go to school, go to work, do problem-solving). If that is not possible, they need to know that someone will help them do these things.
• Love and Belongingness. People need to feel connected to other people, and to know that they are loved and cared for.
• Self-Esteem and Meaning. People need to feel good about themselves, keep learning as much as possible and know that their lives have meaning.
• Self-actualization. Ultimately, people want to feel as though they are the best people they can possibly be, given their unique attributes.

All of us face problems in our daily living. How well a person can adapt to the problems of daily living will depend on a variety of factors:

• What is the state of the person’s physical health? When a person is healthy, he can cope with life more effectively. Even a minor problem like a cold can make life miserable.
• What are the person’s physical abilities? It is important to focus more on what a person can do than what she cannot do, and to make the most of that ability. If a person has a disability, such as an inability to walk, has she found other effective ways of getting around?
• How well is the person able to think and process information? We all have different IQ’s, but we all think to one degree or another. Has the person been given the information he needs to get his needs met, and has that information been provided in a way that he can best understand it?
• How much control does the person have over her emotions (feelings)? When a person’s feelings are "out of control" that person feels "out of control." If she is having difficulty with her emotions, is she receiving the mental health help she needs?
• Does the person have a spiritual connection? Research has shown that when people have a belief that there is something in the world greater and stronger than they are, they tend to heal faster from physical and emotional pain, and do not feel as though they are all alone in the world.
• What kind of educational background or life experience does the person have? If a person has been taught what she needs to know to get her basic human needs met, or if she has learned to do as much as she can for herself, she will probably feel as though she is a more competent person. This can give her a sense of pride in herself.
• Does the person have support from family, friends, service providers or others in the community? If not, he may feel overwhelmed. If so, that support can help him with the areas of his life where he might not be able to do everything by himself.
• What is the person’s personality like? Some people find the simplest of life’s tasks difficult and stressful. Others find them challenging or even fun. People who view life more positively are usually able to get their needs met more effectively.

When a person is under great stress -- as many people are after a crime -- he may have more difficulty than usual thinking clearly, keeping his emotions under control, staying physically healthy, or behaving as he normally does in social situations. The trauma of being a crime victim can definitely have a negative impact on a person’s ability to function.

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