• What is Mental Health?

     

    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. Mental health is important at every stage of life, from childhood and adolescence through adulthood.

     

    Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (.gov)

     

    Certain factors may increase your risk of developing a mental illness, including: 

    • A history of mental illness in a blood relative, such as a parent or sibling. 

    • Stressful life situations, such as financial problems, a loved one's death or a divorce. 

    • An ongoing (chronic) medical condition, such as diabetes.

     

    What are Risk Factors?

    Risk factors are influences in the individual, family, or community that make it more likely that individuals will develop a mental health problem:

    • biological,

    • psychological, or 

    • social factors 

     

    Mental Health Problems Affect Everyone

    • One in five American adults experienced a mental health issue.

    • One in 6 young people experienced a major depressive episode.

    • One in 20 Americans lived with a serious mental illness, such as schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, or major depression.