About half of Americans will meet the criteria for a diagnosable mental health condition sometime in their life, with symptoms starting by age 24 for most people.
The average delay between symptom onset and treatment is 11 years, meaning many people spend months or years facing mental health challenges before getting a diagnosis. It is never too early to seek treatment for your mental health. Intervening effectively during initial stages can save lives and is critically important for people living with mental health conditions.
What is a mental health condition, or mental illness, refers to a set of symptoms that have been identified by the mental health community. Mental health conditions are described in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, the International Classification of Diseases, or by people with lived experience. People with mental health conditions deal with changes in emotions, thinking, and/or behavior. For some, this means extreme and unexpected changes in mood – like feeling much more sad or worried than usual. For others, it means not thinking clearly, pulling away from friends and activities you used to enjoy, or hearing voices that others do not. No matter what kind of mental health condition someone is facing, it’s always possible to recover.
- IS POOR MENTAL HEALTH THE SAME THING AS HAVING A MENTAL HEALTH CONDITION? No. We all have tough days and weeks and struggling with your mental health doesn’t automatically mean you have a mental health condition. To be diagnosed, the changes in your thinking and emotions must be seriously hurting your ability to do the things you want to do; and sticking around longer than they should – weeks or months, depending on the condition.
- TERMS TO KNOW SYMPTOMS: physical or mental features that indicate the potential existence of a concern, condition, or diagnosis
- LIVED EXPERIENCE: first-hand, personal experience dealing with a mental health or substance use challenge
- STRESS: a feeling of emotional or physical tension in response to being overwhelmed or unable to cope with mental or emotional pressure
- TRAUMA: an emotional response to a disturbing, scary, or shocking experience that overwhelms an individual’s ability to cope
- COPING SKILLS: a strategy to help you deal with difficult situations and lessen unpleasant emotions, thoughts, or behaviors
- MENTAL HEALTH SCREEN: an evaluation of your mental health and wellbeing through scientifically validated assessment tools You can have times of poor mental health without having a diagnosable condition – just like you can be generally physically unhealthy without having a particular illness.
