Mental Health vs Mental ill-Health

MENTAL MENTAL HEALTH, HEALTH, VS VS MENTAL MENTAL ILL-HEALTH ILL-HEALTH Our mental health is an incredible personal and unique aspect of our lives, and unfortunately statistics continue to show that a growing number of Australian’s are experiencing a negative relationship to their mental health. In fact, Beyond Blue has found that half of all mental health conditions we experience at some point in our lives will have started by age 14.

However, a number of the conversations currently had in schools and universities around Australia have failed to emphasise the difference between mental health, and mental illness. Let’s start by defining some of these terms that we’re using.

Mental health is a commonplace expression according to Beyond Blue however, is often used in circumstances and conversations where it isn’t meant too. When we talk about our mental health, the words we often associate are terms like depression, anxiety and other conditions. Contrastingly, the World Health Organisation defines mental health as;

‘a state of well-being in which every individual realises his or her own potential, can cope with the normal stresses of life, can work productively and fruitfully, and is able to make a contribution to her or his community’