Mental health and mental illness are not the same. The fact that they’re different is not common knowledge, though: we’re likely only aware of the nuance if we’ve completed studies in the field – like online master’s degree programs in counseling psychology, for example.
In truth, everyone has what is known as “mental health”. To be clear, mental health is an indicator – a measure – of our overall cognitive well-being and brain function. But on the other hand, not everyone will experience mental illness. Admittedly the statistic is growing – currently, more than 1 in 5 US adults live with a mental illness today. Despite this, many of us will never experience the debilitating side effects of being mentally unwell.
So how do we measure mental health, then, and also, differentiate mental health from mental illness?
Let’s discuss.
Table of Contents
What is Mental Health?
The World Health Organization (WHO) recognizes mental health as a state of mental well-being that supports our healthy cognitive functioning and also, helps us navigate the daily realities of our environment – including external stressors, stimuli, and other influences. Having a good level of mental health helps us to regulate our inner thoughts, enables us to express ourselves rationally, and also, facilitates a sound level of emotional intelligence.
These important elements of our mental state – when working at optimal capacity – help us exist as functioning members of society, as well as develop positive interpersonal relationships with others, and also, support us in safely navigating the world we live in. As functioning, mentally well individuals, we do this by using our cognitive awareness to make good choices, relate and empathize with other people, and of course, understand what’s going on around us.
Mental Illness: What is it?
Mental illness is an umbrella term that refers to a wide range of diagnosable cognitive disorders. Each of these conditions presents with different symptoms that can have differing effects on an individual’s mental and emotional state and cognitive functioning.
So what is considered a diagnosable mental illness? Some of the most common disorders diagnosed under the banner of mental illness can include:
- Depression
- Anxiety
- Personality Disorders
- Mood Disorders
The common theme among these mental disorders? Just like a physical condition, a mental illness can also be treated with medication and professional care, which can in many cases help to minimize the severity of the associated symptoms.
So, What’s the Difference?
Mental illness can’t just be put down to an external manifestation of poor mental health. The two concepts are quite separate: just because your mental health is suffering at a certain point in your life, doesn’t always mean that you have a diagnosable mental condition. Even if your mental health is declining, then, you might not necessarily be diagnosed with a mental disorder. You may just need some emotional support, and seeking therapy with a licensed counselor could help get you through a rough patch that may be purely circumstantial or situational, rather than clinical.
On the flip side, living with a mental illness does not always dictate that your mental health is poor. If you are experiencing a chronic but well-managed mental disorder, for instance, it’s still possible to function well, and experience life as a stable, in control, mentally well individual. With the help of medication, therapy, and psychiatric support, individuals who have been diagnosed with a mental illness or disorder can still enjoy a well-rounded, high-functioning lifestyle. In some cases, a mental disorder may be so well-managed that outsiders might not even be able to tell that an individual has been diagnosed with a mental illness.
~
While it’s common to think that mental health and mental illness are one and the same, when we scratch beneath the surface, we can see that this is not the case.
As separate concepts, mental health and mental illness can coexist.
In sufferers of diagnosed mental disorders, a sound level of mental health can still be maintained with the assistance of psychiatric support, medication, and positive lifestyle choices.
In the same way, experiencing declining mental health does not mean we have a mental illness. Instead, our poor mental health could simply be a result of environmental or external pressures.