Although the terms are often used interchangeably, poor mental health and mental illness are not the same. A person can experience poor mental health and not be diagnosed with a mental illness. Likewise, a person diagnosed with a mental illness can experience periods of physical, mental, and social well-being.

Mental illness does not discriminate; it can affect anyone regardless of your age, gender, geography, income, social status, race/ethnicity, religion/spirituality, sexual orientation, background or other aspect of cultural identity. While mental illness can occur at any age, three-fourths of all mental illness begins by age 24.

Mental illnesses take many forms. Some are mild and only interfere in limited ways with daily life, such as certain phobias (abnormal fears). Other mental health conditions are so severe that a person may need care in a hospital.

Mental Illness…refers collectively to all diagnosable mental disorders — health conditions involving:

• Significant changes in thinking, emotion and/or behavior.
• Distress and/or problems functioning in social, work or family activities.

Many people who have a mental illness do not want to talk about it. But mental illness is nothing to be ashamed of! It is a medical condition, just like heart disease or diabetes. And mental health conditions are treatable. We are continually expanding our understanding of how the human brain works, and treatments are available to help people successfully manage mental health conditions.

Mental illness is nothing to be ashamed of. It is a medical problem, just like heart disease or diabetes.

Mental illness is common. In a given year:

• Nearly one in five (19%) U.S. adults experience some form of mental illness.
• One in 24 (4.1%) has a serious mental illness*.
• One in 12 (8.5%) has a diagnosable substance use disorder.

Mental illness is treatable. The vast majority of individuals with mental illness continue to function in their daily lives. Mental illnesses include the following conditions and more information can be found on each link specific to the condition listed: