The terms mental health and mental illness are often used interchangeably. Some of us may be wondering, “Aren’t they referring to the same thing?”. The short answer is no – and understanding the difference will help minimise misconceptions and stigma. So, what’s the difference?
Mental health, just like physical health, is something everyone has. It refers to our emotional, psychological, and social well-being, and it fluctuates throughout our lives. Having good mental health does not mean we are always happy; it’s about our ability to handle the ups and downs of life regardless of whether we are having a good or bad day.
When we speak about mental illness, we are referring to conditions that affect our mood, how we think, feel, and behave on a daily basis for a long period of time – often being present for a minimum of 6 months. While our mental health can change from day-to-day, mental illness is an ongoing condition that has more persistent symptoms that affect our ability to function.
Mental illnesses look different in everyone and are not always visible. Symptom types and severity can change over time, and treatment – such as therapy, medication or both – is often needed. Not only is mental illness complex and varied, but so is the path to recovery. For example, getting diagnosed with depression does not mean we will have depression for the rest of our life as we can make a full recovery. On the other hand, schizophrenia is often chronic, although some individuals experience significant improvement with the management of symptoms or remission.
We can have poor mental health without having a mental illness. This can look like feeling overwhelmed or burned out. In turn, we can also have a mental illness and have periods of good mental health, like someone with anxiety managing their symptoms and functioning well. Together we can spread awareness to help reduce stigma and encourages early intervention and self-care.
Deni-Jo