Lesson One - Signs and Symptoms of Mental Health
Completion requirements
Defining Mental Health and Mental Illness
Courtesy of The Health Communication Unit at the Dalla Lana School of Public Health at the University of Toronto and the Canadian Mental Health Association, Ontario
You will recall from the first unit that there is a difference between mental health and mental illness. The Canadian Mental Health Association defines mental health as:
A mental illness, on the other hand, is something that affects how someone thinks, feels, behaves, or interacts with other people. It is something that a professional needs to diagnose. Remember that it is important to never self-diagnose a mental illness.
...knowing and accepting yourself, understand[ing] what makes you happy, building meaningful relationships, coping with problems of day-to-day living, and maintaining a sense of humour. It also means striking a balance in all aspects of your
life: social, physical, spiritual, economic, and mental. Mental health is [also] about coping with the challenges of life.
A mental illness, on the other hand, is something that affects how someone thinks, feels, behaves, or interacts with other people. It is something that a professional needs to diagnose. Remember that it is important to never self-diagnose a mental illness.