May is Mental Health Awareness Month, which makes this a good time to learn about mental health and mental illness.
Mental health is the overall wellness of how you think, regulate your feelings and behave. Cultural norms and social expectations play a role in defining mental health. There is no standard measure across cultures to determine whether a behavior is normal or when it becomes disruptive. What might be normal in one society may be a cause for concern in another.
Mental illness refers to a wide range of mental health conditions — disorders that affect your mood, thinking and behavior. Examples of mental illness include depression, anxiety disorders, schizophrenia, eating disorders and addictive behaviors.
