Key Definitions
The following are definitions associated with mental health care. Information sources include the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), the World Health Organization (WHO) and the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH).
What is Mental Illness
A mental illness is a condition that impacts a person's thinking, feeling or mood and may affect and his or her ability to relate to others and function on a daily basis. Each person will have different experiences, even people with the same diagnosis.
Recovery, including meaningful roles in social life, school and work, is possible, especially when an individual starts treatment early and plays a strong role in his/her own recovery process.
A mental health condition is not the result of one event. Research suggests multiple, interlinking causes. Genetics, environment and lifestyle combine to influence whether someone develops a mental health condition. A stressful job or home life makes some people more susceptible, as do traumatic life events such as being the victim of a crime. Biochemical processes and circuits as well as basic brain structure may play a role as well.
Learn more at: https://www.nami.org/Learn-More/Mental-Health-Conditions#sthash.mLffgxRN.dpuf
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