What is mental health
Mental health refers to a person’s emotional, psychological, and social well-being. Everyone struggles with their mental health from time to time. Major life episodes like death, illness, childhood trauma, and sudden life changes can affect a person’s mental health. Poor mental health can be a temporary problem or a lifelong issue.
What is mental
illness
A mental illness is a condition that affects a person's thinking, feeling, behavior or mood. These conditions deeply impact day-to-day living and may also affect the ability to relate to others. Some of the most common mental illnesses are depression, anxiety, attention deficit disorder, eating disorders, post-traumatic stress disorder, bipolar depression, and behavioral disorders.
How common is mental illness
Approximately 50 million American adults experience a mental illness. That's one in every five adults. One in 20 adults experience severe mental illness.
Children experience mental illness as well. One in six children ages 6-17 have a major depressive episode. Almost 50 percent of all lifelong mental illnesses begin before the age of 14.
Creating good mental health
There are several ways to boost your mental health:
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Practice self-care. Exercise, eat healthy meals, get an adequate amount of sleep, and stay hydrated. Our physical health can affect our mental health.
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Develop a support system. Community is important. Surround yourself with people who positively impact your mental health. Loneliness can breed poor mental health.
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Challenge negative thinking. Practice positive self-talk. Identify all-or-nothing thinking. Focus on gratitude.
Seek Therapy. Counseling can offer help in eliminating unhealthy thinking and behavioral patterns and offer perspective for your situation. Medication may be necessary.
