Mental Health and Wellness

Definition of Mental Health

• Mental health is more than just the absence of mental disorders, it's about managing active conditions, maintaining wellness, and happiness.

Importance of Mental Health

• Preserving and restoring mental health is crucial at individual, community, and societal levels.
• Almost 1 in 5 adults experience mental health problems each year in the United States.

Prevalence of Mental Health Disorders

• In 2021, an estimated 14.1 million adults in the U.S. had a serious psychological condition, about 5.5% of the adult population.
• Depression is one of the leading causes of disability in the U.S. and much of the developed world.
• Everyone is at some risk of developing a mental health disorder, regardless of age, sex, income, or ethnicity.

Factors Contributing to Mental Health

• Modifiable factors include socioeconomic conditions, occupation, social involvement, education, and housing quality.
• Non-modifiable factors include gender, age, ethnicity, and nationality.
• Being female increases the risk of low mental health status by nearly four times.
• Weak economic status is linked to higher mental health condition scores.

Types of Mental Health Disorders

• Mental health disorders are grouped according to their common features, including anxiety disorders, mood disorders, and schizophrenia disorders.

Anxiety Disorders

• Anxiety disorders are the most common mental health disorders.
• They involve severe fear or anxiety related to certain objects or situations.
• Examples of anxiety disorders include:
  • Generalized anxiety disorder (GAD)
  • Panic disorder
  • Phobias (e.g., simple phobias, social phobia, agoraphobia)

Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD)

• GAD involves excessive worry or fear that disrupts everyday living.
• Physical symptoms may include restlessness, fatigue, poor concentration, tense muscles, and interrupted sleep.
• Anxiety symptoms may not always have a specific trigger.

Panic Disorder

• Panic disorder involves regular panic attacks with sudden, overwhelming terror or a sense of imminent disaster and death.

Phobias

• Phobias involve a disproportionate fear of specific objects, scenarios, or animals.
• Examples of phobias include a fear of spiders, social phobia, and agoraphobia.