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Overview

Sadness is a human emotion that all people feel at certain times during their lives. Feeling sad is a natural reaction to situations that cause emotional upset or pain. There are varying degrees of sadness. But like other emotions, sadness is temporary and fades with time. In this way, sadness differs from depression.

Depression is a longer-term mental illness. It impairs social, occupational, and other important areas of functioning. Left untreated, symptoms of depression may last for a long time.

Keep reading to learn more about the differences between depression and sadness.

When you're sad, it may feel all-encompassing at times. But you should also have moments when you are able to laugh or be comforted. Depression differs from sadness. The feelings you have will affect all aspects of your life. It may be hard or even impossible to find enjoyment in anything, including activities and people you used to enjoy. Depression is a mental illness, not an emotion.

Symptoms of depression may include:

constant feelings of sadness

irritability

fatigue

changes in sleeping or eating patterns

difficulty concentrating

loss of interest and enthusiasm for things which used to provide pleasure

feelings of deep, unwarranted guilt

physical symptoms, such as headaches or body aches that do not have a specific cause

feelings of worthlessness

constant thoughts about death

suicidal thoughts or actions

You may have some of these symptoms if you are sad, but they shouldn't last more than two weeks. Suicidal thoughts are a sign of depression, not sadness.

Guide to the DSM-5 criteria

Mental health professionals use the American Psychiatric Association Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5 criteria) to help determine if someone is sad or depressed. You may receive a diagnosis of depression or persistent depressive disorder if you meet the criteria.

The DSM-5 criteria include nine potential symptoms of depression. The severity of each symptom is also weighed as part of the diagnostic process. The nine symptoms are:

1. feeling depressed throughout each day on most or all days

2. lack of interest and enjoyment in activities you used to find pleasurable

3. trouble sleeping, or sleeping too much

4. trouble eating, or eating too much, coupled with weight gain or weight loss

5. irritability, restlessness, or agitation

6. extreme fatigue

7. unwarranted or exaggerated feelings of guilt or worthlessness

8. inability to concentrate or make decisions

9. suicidal thoughts or actions, or thinking a lot about death and dying

Read more: Signs of depression "
Depression can occur in both men and woman of any age. Depression affects people across all ethnic groups and socioeconomic backgrounds.

There are several risk factors for depression. But having one or more risk factors doesn't mean you'll become depressed. Risk factors include:

early childhood or teenage trauma

inability to cope with a devastating life event, such as the death of a child or spouse, or any situation that causes extreme levels of pain

low self-esteem

family history of mental illness, including bipolar disorder or depression

history of substance abuse, including drugs and alcohol

lack of family or community acceptance for identifying as lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender (LGBT).

trouble adjusting to a medical condition, such as cancer, stroke, chronic pain, or heart disease

trouble adjusting to body changes due to catastrophic injury, such as loss of limbs, or paralysis

history of prior mental health disorders, including anorexia, bulimia, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), or anxiety disorder

lack of a support system, such as friends, family, or coworkers

Depression is also a possible side effect of some medications. If you're concerned that a drug you're taking is affecting your mood, discuss it with your doctor. Some medications that might cause depression include:

beta-blockers

corticosteroids

hormonal medications

statins, which are drugs used to treat high cholesterol

Talk to your doctor if you experience sadness for longer than two weeks. And call emergency services to receive immediate medical help if you're having suicidal thoughts.

Note if your feelings interfere with your ability to function, take part in life, or experience enjoyment. Speaking to a professional, like a therapist, clergy member, or other trusted person, can be a powerful first step toward recovery.
Learn more: The best depression apps of 2016 "
Your doctor will use several diagnostic tools to help distinguish between sadness and depression. You doctor will ask you a series of questions or have you fill out a questionnaire based on the DSM-5 criteria. This will help them determine if you're experiencing sadness or depression.

They'll also want to talk to you about your symptoms. They'll ask how you're feeling and what your daily life is like.

Your doctor may also do a physical exam. This will determine any underlying health problem affecting your condition. That could include a blood test to determine if you have an underactive thyroid (hypothyroidism).

If you're experiencing sadness, some minor lifestyle changes may help.

Connect with other people. Make a phone call, take a yoga class, or join a jogging club, knitting circle, or another group that interests you.

Build in time each day for an activity you enjoy.

Watch funny television shows or movies, or read a lighthearted or funny book.

Engage in physical activities or sports.

If you love animals, spend time each day with a furry friend.

Do not self-medicate through the use of drugs or alcohol.

Treat yourself kindly by eating healthy and trying to get enough sleep.

If you have trouble sleeping, try meditating or taking a warm bath before bed.

Simplify your life as best you can.

Lifestyle changes can also help you feel better if you're experiencing depression. But these changes may not be enough. If you're depressed, psychological counseling with a professional you trust can make a difference. This type of counseling is also known as talk therapy.

If you're depressed or suicidal, you can receive inpatient care by staying in a hospital or other therapeutic setting.

Your physician or therapist may prescribe medications for you. There are many different types of antidepressants. You and your doctor will decide which ones you should try. These depend on your needs, family history, allergies, and lifestyle. You may need to try several before you find a treatment plan that works best for you. Sometimes, antidepressants may increase suicidal thoughts. It's important that you let your doctor know immediately if you experience worsening depression.
Learn more: Depression medications list "
If you're experiencing a period of sadness, lifestyle changes and being proactive may help. You may also seek out professional help if you feel it will help to talk. Or if you feel medication may help.

Depression is treatable. But simple lifestyle changes may not be enough to help your recover. You'll likely need to take part in therapy. You might also take medication to help treat your symptoms.

Allow yourself to get the help you need. If you feel that you can't take the next step, try to connect with someone who will take that step with you. For example, talk to a trusted family doctor. Or you could ask a friend or family member to go with you to your first appointment with a therapist. No matter how you're feeling today, you deserve, and can achieve, hope and healing.

Conquering both sadness and depression takes effort. Make sure to keep your appointments if you're seeing a therapist. And talk out everything that is on your mind. Here are some more tips to help you manage both sadness and depression:

Set your alarm clock and wake up at the same time each day. Maintaining a routine that includes self-care can help make life more manageable.

Include physical activity in your routine. It can boost mood and improve your health.

Don't isolate yourself. Spend some time each day with someone you like, either in person, or on the phone.

Resume activities that have given you joy in the past, or try new activities that interest you. Having something to look forward to can help boost your mood.

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Depression vs. Sadness: What's the Difference?

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Overview Sadness is a human emotion that all people feel at certain times during their lives. Feeling sad is a natural reaction to situations that cause emotional upset or pain. There are varying degrees of sadness. But like other emotions, sadness is temporary and fades with time.

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Sometimes you might hear a person talking about mental disorders like depression or bipolar disorder without really understanding what they mean. What is depression? What is bipolar disorder? Why do we refer to these things as mental health issues or mental disorders rather than a medical disease? And does it matter what we call a thing?

Depression is a Mental Disorder, not a Disease

While psychiatric medications and their resulting television commercials in the 1990's and this decade have done much to help people seek treatment for a mental disorder like depression, they haven't done much to help people understand the complexities of things like "depression" and "bipolar disorder." These things are called disorders, not diseases, for a reason. A disorder simply means something that is out of the ordinary, which depression and other mental disorders are. They are more specifically a cluster of symptoms that research has shown to correlate highly with a specific emotional state.

A medical disease, on the other hand, according to Webster's, is

a condition of the living animal or plant body or of one of its parts that impairs normal functioning and is typically manifested by distinguishing signs and symptoms

Diseases are manifestations of a problem with some physical organ or component within the body. And while the brain is also an organ, it is one of the least understood and easily the most complex organ within the body. Researchers and doctors refer to a diseased organ when something is clearly wrong with it (via a CAT scan or X-ray or laboratory test). But with our brains, we have no test to say, "Hey, there's something clearly wrong here!"

One could make the argument, as many have, that because brain scans show abnormalities in certain biochemical levels within the brain when they suffer from depression or the like, this "proves" that depression is a disease. Unfortunately, research hasn't gotten quite that far yet. The brain scans show us something, that much is true. But whether the scans show the cause or the result of depression has yet to be determined. And more tellingly, there is a body of research that shows similar changes in brain neurochemistry when people are doing all sorts of activities (such as reading, playing a video game, etc.).

The Bio-Psycho-Social Model of Mental Disorders

While brain biochemistry and genetic makeup are important components of most people's battle with a mental disorder, there are two other equally important components that are all too often left out of the picture - the psychological and the social. The most commonly accepted model of mental illness today takes these three components into account - the biopsychosocial model. This is the model most mental health professionals who practice subscribe to.

The Bio-Psycho-Social Model Continued...

The first component of the model is biology, which includes acknowledging both the biochemistry makeup of the brain, as well as its inherited genes. While gene research hasn't resulted in any treatments to-date, influencing the neurochemistry of the brain has been the cornerstone of modern psychiatric medications. When properly prescribed by a knowledgeable mental health professional - such as a psychiatrist - these medications are often an important treatment component for many mental disorders, such as depression, bipolar disorder and schizophrenia.

The second component of the model is psychological, which includes things like a person's personality and how they were raised to deal with stress and their emotions. This component is often just as important as medications, because while medications are great at helping a person out with symptoms of a disorder, they don't address our own personal coping skills or ways we handle stress. While there may be no single incident that brings about a depressive episode, for instance, a lot of "minor" issues could easily come together to cause depression. Things like psychotherapy help people understand how to enhance their existing coping skills and learn better ways to express emotions.

The third and final component of the model is social, which includes things like our relationships with a significant other, our friends, and even our co-workers. We learn how to socially interact with others as we grow up, through interactions with our friends and family. Sometimes our ways of interacting and communicating with others isn't clear, leading to problems in life, and in the worst case, social isolation. Again, psychotherapy is a treatment method that helps a person learn to understand how they interact with others, and then find ways to help the person become more successful in those interactions.

Why Does It Matter What Depression is Called?

What we call something is important because people tend to put as much effort into changing something as they're told it needs. If a person is told that it's a brain chemical problem, they'll more easily and readily believe it when the physician says, "Here, take this pill and that should make things better." And this is exactly what millions of Americans do every year, to devastating effect - most of them don't feel any better.

If, however, people understand that mental disorders like bipolar disorder, anxiety, panic attacks, and such are complex, biopsychosocial problems, they will be more likely to approach the treatment of these problems more seriously and with greater effort. Psychiatric medications are often an important component of treatment of many disorders, but in most cases, they are not enough. To simply be prescribed an antidepressant or anti-anxiety medication without additional treatment options, such as psychotherapy, is to be getting one-third to one-half of the acceptable treatment for these disorders.

If changing a mental disorder were as simple as taking a psychiatric medication, the practice of psychotherapy would already be out of business (and large government research studies such as the STAR*D trial would show similar results). The research, however, shows that these are complex disorders that usually have no single cause and therefore also have no single treatment.

Understanding this complexity before you seek treatment will help you when your psychiatrist wants to try a number of different medications to see which one works best for you, or when the doctor recommends psychotherapy in addition to medication for treatment. This is to help you feel better, sooner, reducing your time in pain or confusion.

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What is Depression if not a Mental Illness?

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Sometimes you might hear a person talking about mental disorders like depression or bipolar disorder without really understanding what they mean. What is depression? What is bipolar disorder? Why do we refer to these things as mental health issues or mental disorders rather than a medical disease?

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Post edited and updated March 9, 2013, to reflect additional thoughts as a result of interactions with the many people who left comments. I thank them for their input.

DEPRESSION - AN ADAPTIVE MECHANISM

Contrary to the APA's assertion, depression is not an illness. In fact, depression is an adaptive mechanism which has served humanity well for millions of years. When things are going well in our lives, we feel good. This good feeling is nature's way of telling us to keep doing what we're doing. When our lives are not going well, we feel down or depressed. This is nature's way of telling us to make some changes.

This is very similar to pain. Pain is a signal that tissue is being damaged and that urgent action is needed. For instance, if you touch a hot stove, the pain induces an immediate reaction to pull your hand away. Usually this is accomplished with minimal damage to the skin. Without pain, we would not respond as quickly to these kinds of situations, and we would incur a great deal more tissue damage than is actually the case.

Depression or despondency is not as acute a sensation as pain. It is more generalized and it signals - not imminent tissue damage - but problems of a more general nature. In order to feel good, the following eight factors must be present in our lives.

- good nutrition
- fresh air
- sunshine (in moderation)
- physical activity
- purposeful activity with regular experiences of success
- good relationships
- adequate and regular sleep
- ability to avoid destructive social entanglements, while remaining receptive to positive encounters *

SOURCES OF DEPRESSION

When any of these factors are missing, or are present to only a slight degree, we begin to feel despondent or depressed. When many of these factors are missing to a large degree, we become very depressed. Over the years, I have worked with hundreds of people who were depressed. To all of these people - without exception - I could say, "If I were in your shoes, living the life you are living, I would be depressed too."

Many of these individuals lived on a diet which was generally poor. Others drank enormous quantities of alcohol. Few ate fruits or vegetables regularly. Many stayed indoors a good deal of the time. Physical activity was low. Purposeful activity - i.e. activity directed towards some kind of goal - was seldom present, and good honest, open relationships often non-existent.

The point here is not to disparage or castigate people who are depressed, but rather to point out that depression is essentially and fundamentally a function of what we are doing - how we are living our lives. It is not an illness. It is the body's natural feedback system. It is nature's way of trying to induce in us some motivation to make changes in our lifestyle - to eat better; to abstain from toxic substances; to get out in the fresh air and sunshine; to identify goals and pursue them; and to talk to friends and family honestly and openly about the things that trouble us. If we do these things consistently and regularly - if we integrate these things into our daily routines, then we will start to feel good. If we don't do these things, we will feel depressed. Or as Peter Breggin, MD, puts it in Antidepressants Cause Suicide and Violence in Soldiers: "The principles for overcoming depression are exactly the same principles required for living a good and happy life."

Everybody experiences an occasional down day. But we also know what to do about it - get out for a walk; start a project; talk to a friend or loved one, etc. Chronically depressed people, however, are individuals who have been neglecting these areas for years. They spend most of their lives indoors. They are often over-weight, have no goals other than the next TV show, and although they may have many acquaintances, they tend not to share their concerns and worries in an open and honest manner.

Of course, not all depressed people are deficient in all these areas. Some depressed people eat well, but never share their worries or concerns with anybody. Others share their worries, but have no purposeful activities. Others have purposeful and rewarding jobs, but never get outdoors and never engage in physical activity, and so on.

To feel consistently good, we need to have all of these factors present in our lives to a substantial and significant degree. Nor is this such a daunting proposition. A person who eats moderately from the five main food groups; who controls his intake of sugar and alcohol; who doesn't smoke; who has a job or hobby that provides challenges and a sense of fulfillment; who gets outdoors most days for exercise or even for a brisk walk; and who has at least one other person with whom he is open and honest, will feel generally positive. A person whose life is lacking in one or more of these areas will feel generally negative. This latter is not an illness - it is not an instance of something going wrong in our bodies. Rather it is an instance of something going right. Depression is a message from the organism calling for change. Induction of negative feelings is the only language the organism has to express the need to make changes.

DEPRESSION DUE TO LOSS

Severe losses can, of course, precipitate depression even in otherwise very orderly and functional lives. Even when all eight factors are present to a substantial degree, the loss of a loved one will usually result in profound feelings of depression. Similarly, the loss of one's career, health, home, etc., will generate some measure of depression regardless of previous lifestyle. People who have been living functional and productive lifestyles, as described above, however, will normally come to terms with the loss in a reasonable time frame. They will talk about the loss to the people in whom they confide; they will continue to eat well and to exercise, and will continue with the various purposeful activities they have always pursued. Gradually the sense of loss will recede and the ability to enjoy life will return. When it seems as if life is coming apart at the seams, it is our routines that save us - provided we have established good functional routines which incorporate the eight factors mentioned above.

However, for people whose lifestyles are deficient, or only marginal, in terms of the eight factors mentioned earlier, a major loss can put them "over the edge," and they sink into a state of chronic long-term despondency. In this regard it is worth noting that all human lives are, sooner or later, touched by major tragic losses. What matters is: how equipped are we, in habits and lifestyle, to handle these losses. When a person goes to a mental health center and asks for help with depression, the first priority should be a detailed assessment of the person's lifestyle, habits, relationships, history, etc., to determine the source of the depressive feelings. From this assessment, a remedial program should be developed and active support and assistance provided to the client in the implementation of this program.

In practice this almost never happens. The client who mentions depression is routinely shuffled off to the psychiatrist. He gets a prescription for an antidepressant and is told (falsely) that his depression is an illness "like diabetes," and that he must take his pills in the same way that a diabetic must take insulin. If supportive or adjunctive therapy is provided at all, it usually takes the form of patronizing pats on the back or reminders to take the "medication."

DEPRESSION AND NEUROCHEMICAL DEFICIENCIES

Despite decades of highly motivated research on the part of pharmaceutical companies and university departments funded by pharmaceutical companies, no evidence has ever been presented that depression is caused by a physical problem in the brain. Yet this assertion is routinely presented to clients and their families as justification for the drug prescription. Elliot Valenstein, Professor Emeritus of Psychology and Neuroscience at the University of Michigan, having reviewed the various biological theories of depression, summarizes the results as follows in his book Blaming the Brain:

"Although the often-repeated statement that antidepressants work by correcting the biochemical deficiency that is the cause of depression may be an effective promotional tack, it cannot be justified by the evidence." (p. 110)

The fact is that antidepressants are mood-altering drugs (essentially in the same general category as alcohol, cocaine, amphetamines, etc.). All of these drugs have in common that they alter people's moods. They make people feel better. That's why people take them! But it doesn't mean they are a good idea. There are two ways to get drugs in the United States. You can go to the street corner and buy them illegally; or you can go to a physician and tell him you are depressed, or anxious, or both. Either way, you'll get something that will give you a temporary "fix" for whatever negative feelings are troubling you. But you will not get any real help with your problem. In this regard it is worth noting that anti-depressants are only about as effective as placebos (sugar pills). Whatever lift people get from these products actually comes from within themselves, not from any pharmaceutical correction of brain chemistry.

FREE DEPRESSION SCREENINGS

In recent years many hospitals and clinics have been offering free depression screenings. If you go in for one of these screenings, it's obvious that you have been experiencing some depression, and the interviewer will quickly establish (through insultingly simplistic questionnaires) that, yes, you are indeed depressed, and that you would benefit from one of the many wonderful antidepressants currently available, and wouldn't you like an appointment to see our psychiatrist. These "free" screenings are almost invariably paid for by a pharmaceutical company. They are a form of marketing and have been a major factor in the promotion of psychotropic drugs. The hospital staff who participate in these charades are well-intentioned, but in fact are mere cogs in an enormous drug-marketing scheme.

The purpose of the DSM is to promote the false notion that depression is really an illness, and to legitimize the prescription of mood-altering drugs. The manual lists several different kinds of depression. Acute, severe depression is called Major Depressive Disorder. Persistent though less severe depression is called Dysthymia. Depression that comes and goes and is interspersed with periods of mild mania is called Cyclothymic Disorder. And so on. And, of course, if a client doesn't meet the criteria for any of these - there's always Depressive Disorder Not Otherwise Specified: a residual category to broaden the scope of the diagnostic net. In fairness to the APA, all of the several diagnoses require a fairly significant level of severity. In practice, however, the precise criteria are routinely ignored. In fact, most of the staff working in the mental health system have only a vague notion of the criteria. A client who says he's depressed is assigned a diagnosis and is given antidepressant drugs.

There are, of course, small numbers of mental health staff who although constrained by regulatory agencies to work within the DSM context, nevertheless ignore the implications of the sickness model and provide real help to their clients. These staff members are a very small minority and, the vast majority of mental health workers embrace the DSM taxonomy wholeheartedly and believe unquestioningly in the ontological validity of the diagnostic categories.

DEPRESSION'S MESSAGE: GET UP AND GET GOING

It is sometimes argued that depression can't be an adaptive mechanism, encouraging us to make changes, because many depressed people, in fact, sink into inactive, lethargic despair. What's being missed here, however is that in almost all cases, feelings of boredom, blues, depression etc., do in fact serve as a spur to action. A person sitting around sluggishly on a rainy Saturday afternoon, for instance, starts to feel down and shakes it off by getting up and doing something, or calling his mother, or putting on a raincoat and taking a walk, etc., etc... But all the messages we receive from our bodies can be eclipsed by counter-productive training. We are all born with a strong drive to preserve our own lives. But soldiers, through training and various pressures, can overcome this drive and continue fighting even though the message from within is to run. Similarly, when our stomachs are full, we get a message from our bodies to stop eating. It's clear that this message often gets eclipsed.

Whether the depression message gets eclipsed or not depends largely on our childhood experiences. If we grow up in a family where depressive feelings are dealt with by getting up and getting going, then that's probably how we will respond to these feelings as adults. But if we grow up in a situation where the depressive nudge is routinely ignored, then there's every chance that we'll continue to ignore these nudges in later life.

When a person's life is characterized by strong functional routines, episodes of depression are rare, but when they occur, they are responded to in a positive manner. But when functional routines are largely absent, and where the depression message is generally ignored, then people sink deeper into despondency.

A good analogy here is our response to cold weather. If I'm outdoors working in the yard, and it starts to get cold, my body encourages me to take some action. So let's say I go get a jacket and continue with the job. If it now gets a good deal colder, perhaps I'll go in and get a heavy coat, then continue work. If the temperature continues to fall, I may simply give up and come inside. What I'm doing here is responding appropriately to messages from my body, and it is clear that the precise nature of my responses were shaped by my earlier training and experience. If I ignore the messages from my body, however, and stay outside as the temperatures falls, I become hypothermic and perhaps die. But nobody would conclude from this that the sensation of cold is an illness! The sensation of cold is an adaptive mechanism that encourages us to take appropriate action in response to falling temperatures. Similarly, the sense of depression is an adaptive mechanism that encourages us towards greater functionality in our daily routines. It is not an illness.

* added on August 27, 2013 at the suggestion of Nadia, a reader of the blog

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Depression Is Not An Illness: It is an Adaptive Mechanism

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Post edited and updated March 9, 2013, to reflect additional thoughts as a result of interactions with the many people who left comments. I thank them for their input. DEPRESSION - AN ADAPTIVE MECHANISM Contrary to the APA's assertion, depression is not an illness.

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Jomar:
Theanis: Understanding mental health
Angie:
Juan S: Psycology behind Mental illness
Nilkeiry: Diferent Types
Rebecca: Post-Traumatic stress disorders

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https://www.ted.com/talks/mike_bardi_the_secret_to_improving_mental_health/up-next

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https://www.time-to-change.org.uk/sites/default/files/intro%20MHA%201.pptx

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https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/154543

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https://www.mentalhealth.gov/basics/what-is-mental-health

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Mental illness is a general term for a group of illnesses that may include symptoms that can affect a person's thinking, perceptions, mood or behaviour. Mental illness can make it difficult for someone to cope with work, relationships and other demands.

Anxiety disorders

Anxiety disorders are a group of mental health disorders that includes:

specific phobias (for example, and )

Untreated, anxiety disorders can lead to significant impairment on people's daily lives.

Behavioural and emotional disorders in children

Common behaviour disorders in children include:

Treatment for these mental health disorders can include therapy, education and medication.

Bipolar affective disorder

Depression

Dissociation and dissociative disorders

Dissociation is a mental process where a person disconnects from their thoughts, feelings, memories or sense of identity. Dissociative disorders include dissociative amnesia, depersonalisation disorder and dissociative identity disorder.

Eating disorders

Eating disorders include , and other . Eating disorders can affect people of all ages and genders, and can have serious psychological and physical consequences.

Obsessive compulsive disorder

Paranoia

Treatment for paranoia includes medications and psychological support.

Post-traumatic stress disorder

Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a mental health condition that can develop as a response to people who have experienced any traumatic event. This can be a car or other serious accident, physical or sexual assault, war-related events or torture, or natural disasters such as bushfires or floods.

Psychosis

Schizophrenia

Schizophrenia is a complex psychotic disorder characterised by disruptions to thinking and emotions, and a distorted perception of reality. Symptoms of schizophrenia vary widely but may include hallucinations, delusions, thought disorder, social withdrawal, lack of motivation and impaired thinking and memory.

Where to get help

In an emergency, always call triple zero (000)

Tel. - Australia-wide crisis support and prevention service

Tel. - support for issues relating to anxiety and depression

Tel.

Tel.

Tel. or 1300 ANXIETY ()

Tel. - free counselling for young people between the ages of 5 and 25

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Types of mental health issues and illnesses

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Mental illness is a general term for a group of illnesses that may impact on a person's thoughts, perceptions, feelings and behaviours. Mental illness can make it difficult for someone to cope with work, relationships and other demands. Most people can manage their mental illness with medication, counselling or both.

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Mental health: Definition, common disorders, early signs, and more

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Mental health refers to cognitive, behavioral, and emotional well-being. We define mental health, explain different disorders, and assess potential treatments.

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Vikram Patel: Mental health for all by involving all

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Nearly 450 million people are affected by mental illness worldwide. In wealthy nations, just half receive appropriate care, but in developing countries, close to 90 percent go untreated because psychiatrists are in such short supply. Vikram Patel outlines a highly promising approach -- training members of communities to give mental health interventions, empowering ordinary people to care for others.

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https://sparlinmentalhealth.com/anxiety-ocd/

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https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/adolescent-mental-health

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https://pulseblueprint.com/lifestyle/health/shocking-mental-health-facts/

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https://www.gov.mb.ca/healthyschools/topics/mental/

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https://ibpf.org/a-helping-hand-an-essay-on-the-importance-of-mental-health-parity/