Mental health is the well-being of your mind. It impacts your behavior, social skills, your academic achievement, and overall happiness.  

Your mental health affects a lot in your life! That means that taking care of your mind is just as important as taking care of your body. You can take of your mind by learning more about it and understanding and recognizing different types of feelings.  

What does good mental health look like?  

Good mental health means that you can live your life the way you want to, despite any challenges you may face. Everyone gets sad or stressed or angry sometimes, but if someone has good mental health, they can recover from these kinds of disruptions.  

Someone with poor mental health may not react well to a difficult life situation like a breakup or a bad grade. They may fall into an extended depression, feel severe stress for days or weeks, or they may be unable to control their anger. Someone with poor mental health may feel unable to continue to pursue their goals or even get up in the morning and do things they once enjoyed.  

How can I improve my mental health?  

Practicing self-care is a great way to improve your mental health. Self-care involves learning about what makes you the happiest and best version of yourself and doing those activities as regularly as possible. For example, if writing makes Sarah feel good about herself, her self-care practice could involve journaling every night before bed. Read more about self-care and how to build a self-care routine at our Practicing Self-Care article.  

For those with poor mental health, therapy and medication could be effective ways to improve their symptoms.  

What is a mental health disorder? 

A mental health disorder is a general term for a group of illnesses that may include symptoms that can affect a person’s thinking, feelings, mood or behavior. Mental disorders can make it difficult for someone to cope with school, relationships, and other demands. 

Mental health disorders can be caused by a variety of factors: 

• Biological factors, such as genes or brain chemistry. These are factors inside your body such as DNA in your cells that make up your genes or how chemicals interact or affect the brain.  
• Family history of mental health problems. This is similar to biological factors. Some mental health issues are hereditary meaning that if a parent has it, there’s a chance that their kids might have it as well.  
• Life experiences such as trauma, abuse, and severe stress.  

Some examples of common mental health disorders include: 

• Anxiety disorders 
• Depression 
• Bipolar disorder 
• Post-traumatic stress disorder 
• Obsessive-compulsive disorder 

All mental health disorders can be treated! Therapy, medication, or a combination of both can be used to treat mental health disorders.  

How do I know if I have an issue with my mental health? 

Mental health disorders can only be diagnosed by a qualified professional. Your primary care provider is a great resource to discuss any mental health concerns you may have.