Mental health

Mental health is all about how people think, feel, and behave. Mental health specialists can help people with depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder, addiction, and other conditions that affect their thoughts, feelings, and behaviors.

Mental health can affect daily living, relationships, and physical health.

However, this link also works in the other direction. Factors in people’s lives, interpersonal connections, and physical factors can contribute to mental ill health. Looking after mental health can preserve a person’s ability to enjoy life. Doing this involves balancing life activities, responsibilities, and efforts to achieve psychological resilience. Stress, depression, and anxiety can all affect mental health and disrupt a person’s routine.

This article explains what people mean by mental health and mental illness. We also describe the most common types of mental disorders, including their early signs and how to treat them.

What is mental health?

The WHO states that mental health is “more than just the absence of mental disorders or disabilities.” Peak mental health is not only about managing active conditions but also looking after ongoing wellness and happiness. It also emphasizes that preserving and restoring mental health is crucial individually and at a community and society level.

In the United States, the National Alliance on Mental Illness estimates that almost 1 in 5 adults experience mental health problems each year. In 2020, an estimated 14.2 million adultsTrusted Source in the U.S., or about 5.6%, had a serious psychological condition, according to the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH).

Mental health is all about how people think, feel, and behave. Mental health specialists can help people with depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder, addiction, and other conditions that affect their thoughts, feelings, and behaviors.

Mental health can affect daily living, relationships, and physical health. However, this link also works in the other direction. Factors in people’s lives, interpersonal connections, and physical factors can contribute to mental ill health.

Looking after mental health can preserve a person’s ability to enjoy life. Doing this involves balancing life activities, responsibilities, and efforts to achieve psychological resilience. Stress, depression, and anxiety can all affect mental health and disrupt a person’s routine.

This article explains what people mean by mental health and mental illness. We also describe the most common types of mental disorders, including their early signs and how to treat them.

Risk factors for mental health conditions

Everyone is at some risk of developing a mental health disorder, regardless of age, sex, income, or ethnicity. In the U.S. and much of the developed world, mental disorders are one of the leading causes of disability.

Social and financial circumstances, adverse childhood experiences, biological factors, and underlying medical conditions can all shape a person’s mental health. Many people with a mental health disorder have more than one condition at a time.

It is important to note that good mental health depends on a delicate balance of factors and that several elements may contribute to developing these disorders.

The following factors can contribute to mental health disruptions.

Continuous social and economic pressure

Having limited financial means or belonging to a marginalized or persecuted ethnic group can increase the risk of mental health disorders.

A 2015 Iranian studyTrusted Source describes several socioeconomic causes of mental health conditions, including poverty and living on the outskirts of a large city.

The researchers also described flexible (modifiable) and inflexible (nonmodifiable) factors that affect the availability and quality of mental health treatment for certain groups.

Modifiable factors for mental health disorders include:

socioeconomic conditions, such as whether work is available in the local area

occupation

a person’s level of social involvement

education

housing quality

gender

Nonmodifiable factors include:

gender

age

ethnicity

nationality

The researchers found that being female increased the risk of low mental health status by nearly 4 times. People with a “weak economic status” also scored highest for mental health conditions in this study.

Childhood adversity

Several studiesTrusted Source support that adverse childhood experiences such as child abuse, parental loss, parental separation, and parental illness significantly affect a growing child’s mental and physical health.

There are also associations between childhood abuse and other adverse events with various psychotic disorders. These experiences also make people vulnerable to post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

Biological factors

The NIMH suggests that genetic family history can increase the likelihoodTrusted Source of mental health conditions as specific genes and gene variants put a person at higher risk.

However, many other factors contribute to the development of these disorders. Having a gene associated with a mental health disorder does not guarantee that a condition will develop. Likewise, people without related genes or a family history of mental illness can still have mental health issues.

Chronic stress and mental health conditions such as depression and anxiety may develop due to underlying physical health problems, such as cancer, diabetes, and chronic pain.

Types of mental health disorders

Specific mental disorders are grouped together due to features they have in common. Some types of mental illness are as follows:

anxiety disorders

mood disorders

schizophrenia disorders

Anxiety disorders

According to the Anxiety and Depression Association of America, anxiety disorders are the most common mental illness.

People with these conditions have severe fear or anxiety related to certain objects or situations. Most people with an anxiety disorder try to avoid exposure to whatever triggers their anxiety.

PBelow are some examples of anxiety disorders.

Generalized anxiety disorder

Generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) involves excessive worry or fear that disrupts everyday living.

People may also experience physical symptoms, including:

restlessness

fatigue

poor concentration

tense muscles

interrupted sleep

A bout of anxiety symptoms does not necessarily need a specific trigger in people with GAD.

They may experience excessive anxiety when encountering everyday situations that do not pose a direct danger, such as chores or appointments. A person with GAD may sometimes feel anxiety with no trigger at all.

Panic disorder

People with a panic disorder experience regular panic attacks involving sudden, overwhelming terror or a sense of imminent disaster and death.

Phobias

There are different types of phobia:

Simple phobias: These may involve a disproportionate fear of specific objects, scenarios, or animals. A fear of spiders is a typical example.

Social phobia: Sometimes known as social anxiety, this is a fear of being subject to the judgment of others. People with social phobia often restrict their exposure to social environments.

Agoraphobia: This term refers to a fear of situations where getting away may be difficult, such as being in an elevator or a moving train. Many people misunderstand this phobia as the fear of being outside.

Phobias are deeply personal, and doctors do not know every type. There could be thousands of phobias, and what may seem unusual to one person can be a severe problem that dominates daily life for another.

OCD

People with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) have obsessions and compulsions. In other words, they experience constant, stressful thoughts and a powerful urge to perform repetitive acts, such as handwashing.

PTSD

PTSD can occur after a person experiences or witnesses an intensely stressful or traumatic event. During this type of event, the person thinks that their life or other people’s lives are in danger. They may feel afraid or that they have no control over what is happening.

These sensations of trauma and fear may then contribute to PTSD.

Mood disorders

People may also refer to mood disorders as affective disorders or depressive disorders.

People with these conditions have significant mood changes, generally involving either mania, a period of high energy and joy, or depression. Examples of mood disorders include:

Major depression: An individual with major depression experiences a constant low mood and loses interest in activities and events that they previously enjoyed (anhedonia). They can feel prolonged periods of sadness or extreme sadness.

Bipolar disorder: A person with bipolar disorder experiences unusual changesTrusted Source in their mood, energy levels, levels of activity, and ability to continue with daily life. Periods of high mood are known as manic phases, while depressive phases bring on low mood. Read more about the different types of bipolar here.

Seasonal affective disorder (SAD): Reduced daylight during the fall, winter, and early spring months triggers this type of major depressionTrusted Source. It is most common in countries far from the equator.

Schizophrenia disorders

The term schizophrenia often refers to a spectrum of disorders characterized by psychotic features and other severe symptoms. These are highly complex conditions.

According to the NIMH, signs of schizophrenia typically develop between the ages of 16 and 30Trusted Source. The individual will have thoughts that appear fragmented and may also find it hard to process information.

Schizophrenia has negative and positive symptoms. Positive symptoms include delusions, thought disorders, and hallucinations, while withdrawal, lack of motivation, and a flat or inappropriate mood are examples of negative symptoms.

Early signs

No physical test or scan reliably indicates whether a person has developed a mental illness. However, people should look out for the following as possible signs of a mental health disorder:

withdrawing from friends, family, and colleagues

avoiding activities they would normally enjoy

sleeping too much or too little

eating too much or too little

feeling hopeless

having consistently low energy

using mood-altering substances, including alcohol and nicotine, more frequently

displaying negative emotions

being confused

being unable to complete daily tasks, such as getting to work or cooking a meal

having persistent thoughts or memories that reappear regularly

thinking of causing physical harm to themselves or others

hearing voices

experiencing delusions

How to maintain your mental health

Practicing self-care can help improve a person’s mental health by reducing a person’s risk of illness, increasing energy levels, and managing stress. The NIMH offers several tipsTrusted Source to help a person begin with their self-care routine:

Regular exercise: Exercising for 45 minutes, three to five times a week, can significantlyTrusted Source improve mental health.

Eat a balanced diet and stay hydrated: Eating a nourishing, balanced diet and staying hydrated can give a constant supply of energy throughout the day.

Aim for good-quality sleep: A 2021 review of multiple studies found that more significant improvements in sleep quality led to greater improvements in a person’s mental health.

Perform relaxing activities: Breathing exercises, meditation, wellness apps, and journaling can help reduce stress and improve overall health and well-being.

Practice gratefulness: People can practice mindfulness and gratitude by actively identifying things they are grateful for daily.

Challenge negative thoughts: A person can practice positivity by becoming aware of their negative and unhelpful thoughts and challenging them.

Look for positive social interactions: Connecting and maintaining meaningful connections and relationships reduces stress and can also be a source of support and practical help in times of need.

Suicide prevention

If you know someone at immediate risk of self-harm, suicide, or hurting another person:

Ask the tough question: “Are you considering suicide?”

Listen to the person without judgment.

Call 911 or the local emergency number, or text TALK to 741741 to communicate with a trained crisis counselor.

Stay with the person until professional help arrives.

Try to remove any weapons, medications, or other potentially harmful objects.

Outlook

While mental health disorders are common, they vary in severity. Most people can manage their symptoms and lead full lives with the proper treatment and access to support.

For others, recovery may not look like going back to their lives before the mental health disorder but learning new ways to cope and gaining more control over their lives.

The prevalence of mental disorders tends to peak in people ages 18–25Trusted Source, but drops significantly in people aged 50 and over.

Having a mental health problem, especially depression, is strongly associated with severe chronic health conditions such as diabetes, stroke, hypertension, cancer, and heart disease.

Summary

The term mental health refers to a person’s cognitive, behavioral, and emotional well-being. It affects how people react to stressors, engage with others, and make choices.

According to the WHO peak mental health is more than just the absence of mental health problems. It is the ability to manage existing conditions and stressors while maintaining ongoing wellness and happiness.

Factors such as stress, depression, and anxiety can all negatively affect mental health and disrupt a person’s routine.