Mental health is the overall well-being of how we think, feel and manage our emotions. It also includes our ability to learn and handle change.
There are many things that can affect mental health, including stress and pain from life events, relationship problems and job loss. Biological factors, such as brain development and genetics, can sometimes be linked to our risk for developing mental illness. Protective factors, such as healthy sleep patterns, regular exercise, and having supportive relationships at home and at school, can help reduce our risk for mental health conditions.
It’s important to know when to get help for a mental health condition. A person may need treatment if there are big changes in thinking or feeling that interfere with daily functioning. This can include things like severe depression or anxiety, thoughts of suicide, problems with alcohol or drugs and other serious problems.
Symptoms may be hard to notice. It’s often hard to tell when shyness becomes a social phobia, or if fear of public speaking is a panic disorder. It can also be confusing to know how to talk to a healthcare provider about these issues. The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) and the International Classification of Diseases (ICD) are a set of guidelines that psychiatrists and psychologists use to diagnose people.
Some adolescents are at greater risk of having a mental health condition than others, especially those living in humanitarian or fragile settings; those with chronic illness, autism spectrum disorders, intellectual disabilities and/or neurological conditions; pregnant teens and adolescent parents; and those from minority ethnic and/or sexual backgrounds or who face societal discrimination. These adolescents need to have access to effective treatment options that can address the root causes of their symptoms and lead to recovery and meaningful participation in society.
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