Mental Health education
Mental Health
Mental health is a state of mental well-being that enables people to cope with the stresses of life, realize their abilities, learn well and work well, and contribute to their community (WHO, 2022). Mental health is more than the absence of mental illness. Mental health includes our emotional, psychological, and social well-being. It affects how we think, feel, and act. It also helps determine how we handle stress, relate to others, and make healthy choices (CDC, 2023). Mental and physical health are equally important components of overall health.
Get the Facts!
- More than 1 in 5 (19%) of U.S. adults suffer from some form of mental illness
- About 1 in 25 U.S. adults lives with a serious mental illness, such as schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, or major depression
Causes of Mental Illness
- Adverse Childhood Experiences, such as trauma or a history of abuse (for example, child abuse, sexual assault, witnessing violence, etc.)
- Experiences related to other ongoing (chronic) medical conditions, such as cancer or diabetes
- Biological factors
- Chemical imbalances in the brain
- Use of alcohol or drugs
- Having feelings of loneliness or isolation for an extended period of time
Know you are Not Alone!
Mental illness does not discriminate; it can affect anyone regardless of your age, gender, geography, income, social status, race, ethnicity, religion/spirituality, sexual orientation, background or other aspect of cultural identity.
References
American Psychiatric Association (APA). (2022, November). What is mental illness? https://www.psychiatry.org/patients-families/what-is-mental-illness
Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). (2023, April 15). About mental health. https://www.cdc.gov/mentalhealth/learn/index.htm
World Health Organization (WHO). (2022, June 17). Mental health. https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/mental-health-strengthening-our-response