Basics

Mental health is defined as a person’s condition with regard to their psychological and emotional well-being.

According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, mental  health includes our emotional, psychological, and social well-being. It  affects how we think, feel, and act. It also helps determine how we  handle stress, relate to others, and make choices. Mental health is  important at every stage of life, from childhood and adolescence through  adulthood.

Over the course of your life, if you experience mental health problems, your thinking, mood, and behavior could be affected.

Not  sure if you or someone you know is living with mental health problems?  Experiencing one or more of the following feelings or behaviors can be  an early warning sign of a problem:

- Eating or sleeping too much or too little
- Pulling away from people and usual activities
- Having low or no energy
- Feeling numb or like nothing matters
- Having unexplained aches and pains
- Feeling helpless or hopeless
- Smoking, drinking or using drugs more than usual
- Thinking of harming yourself or others

- Feeling unusually confused, forgetful, on edge, angry, upset, worried, or scared
- Yelling or fighting with family and friends
- Inability to perform daily tasks like taking care of your kids or getting to work or school
- Experiencing severe mood swings that cause problems in relationships
- Having persistent thoughts and memories you can't get out of your head Hearing voices or believing things that are not true