Much has been written, and probably more said, about mental health. The trouble is, most people don’t necessarily know or appreciate just how nuanced the term is. At a high level, mental health is the condition of being sound both mentally and emotionally. This is typically characterized by the absence of mental illness, as well as feeling comfortable about oneself, having positive feelings about others, and being able to meet the demands of daily life.

There is, of course, much more to discover about mental health, and this is where the nuance comes into play. 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 healthy life choices. Not surprisingly, mental health is important at every stage of life, from childhood and adolescence through adulthood.

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.

In our work at Wholeness Psychology Centre we often talk about the “four pillars” of mental health: (1) Physical Health; (2) Emotional Health; (3) Cognitive Health; and (4) Social Health.