Why is mental health important

But there are treatments. People with mental disorders can get better, and many of them recover completely. Your mental health is also important because it can affect your physical health. For example, mental disorders can raise your risk for physical health problems such as stroke , type 2 diabetes , and heart disease. You can also affect your mental health by taking steps to improve it , such as doing meditation, using relaxation techniques, and practicing gratitude.

Over time, your mental health can change. For example, you may be dealing with a difficult situation, such as trying to manage a chronic illness, taking care of an ill relative, or facing money problems. The situation may wear you out and overwhelm your ability to cope with it. This can worsen your mental health. On the other hand, getting therapy may improve your mental health. When it comes to your emotions, it can be hard to know what is normal and what is not.

There are warning signs that you may have a mental health problem, including. Stigma and misinformation can feel like overwhelming obstacles for someone who is struggling with a mental health condition. Here a few powerful things you can do to help:. She has worked for Pine Rest since What Exactly is a Mental Illness A mental illness is a physical illness of the brain that causes disturbances in thinking, behavior, energy or emotion that make it difficult to cope with the ordinary demands of life.

Generally speaking, mental health is comprised of our emotional, psychological and social well-being. Taking care of our mental health is vitally important because it can affect every aspect of our lives, from relationships with friends and family members to our productivity at work or school.

Our mental wellbeing can be diminished by a number of mental health conditions, including anxiety, depression, bipolar disorder, substance use disorder and more. These conditions vary widely in their severity, but at any level can have a negative impact on our lives.

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Fact sheet no. Geneva, Switzerland: World Health Organization. World Psychiatry. National Institutes of Health.