Mental health vs. mental illness

Mental illness and mental health are often used interchangeably, but there is a difference.

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Everyone has mental health.

Mental health affects everyone and is defined by how we feel, think, solve problems, handle stress, maintain relationships, and interact with the world. And while mental illness isn’t the opposite of mental health, the two are connected.

Our mental health is defined by how we feel, think, solve problems, handle stress, maintain relationships, and interact with the world. Good mental health helps us withstand stress or difficulty. It allows us to reach our potential as functioning, useful members of our communities. Good mental health can reduce our risk of developing a mental illness, especially when we are confronted with stress or trauma.

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What is mental illness?

There are no known single causes of mental illness. Most researchers agree that mental illnesses are caused or triggered by a combination of factors, including:

  • Biology and genetics
  • Environment
  • Stressful life circumstances
  • Substance use

  • Types of mental illnesses

    Mental illnesses are health conditions that cause changes in emotions, thoughts, or behaviours. They can lead to distress and difficulties in functioning socially, at work, or within the family. Mental illnesses vary in severity, ranging from mild forms that have limited interference with daily life, like certain phobias, to more severe conditions that may require hospitalization. Just like other medical illnesses, the most effective ways to provide care depend on the specific illness and the extent of its impact.

    • Anxiety is a normal human response to many situations, like financial concerns, job stress, a tense relationship, or a physical threat. With an anxiety disorder, however, a person’s anxiety persists after the stressor has passed or is more intense than what others would experience in the same situation. Common symptoms include shortness of breath, dizziness, trouble sleeping, rapid heartbeat, muscle tension, and fear of dying. Symptoms vary among the different types of anxiety disorders.

    • Affecting more than 1 in 100 people worldwide, symptoms of schizophrenia generally first appear when a person is in their youth. However, sometimes people begin exhibiting symptoms of schizophrenia as young as 10 and others as old as 30. Schizophrenia is a neurological disorder that most often includes auditory and/or visual hallucinations, increased apathy, or increased obsessive behaviours and thinking, such as paranoia and self-grandeur.

      Visit our Schizophrenia page to learn more.

      Psychosis is a term used to describe when a person is unable to distinguish what is real from what is not real. Psychosis is a syndrome or group of symptoms that can appear when a person’s brain is working differently.

      Visit our Psychosis page to learn more.

    • Depression is a common mental illness characterized by persistent feelings of sadness, hopelessness, and a lack of interest or pleasure in activities. It can also lead to changes in appetite, sleep patterns, and concentration. Depression can have a significant impact on daily functioning, affecting relationships, work, and overall quality of life. 

      While some individuals may experience mild forms of depression, others may have severe symptoms that require professional intervention and support. Treatment options, such as therapy and medication, can be tailored to the severity of the depression and the individual’s unique needs.

    • Bipolar disorder is a type of mood disorder where a person experiences unusual and sometimes debilitating mood swings, called mood episodes. Mood episodes can be periods of extreme high or elation, known as mania, or periods of extreme low or hopelessness, known as depression. Less severe manic episodes are called hypomanic episodes. Psychosis can accompany extreme episodes of mania or depression.

      More information on bipolar disorder is available at Mood Disorders Society of Canada.

Do you know a child or youth struggling with a loved one with a mental illness?

Learn more about BCSS Youth programming and sign up for our Kids in Control, Tweens in Control, or Teens in Control workshops today.

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Understanding mental illness & building compassion

There are a lot of myths about mental illness. Mental illness is often seen as a character flaw or a sign of weakness. Bad parenting or poverty are sometimes blamed. People might avoid someone with a mental illness because they fear unstable behaviour or even violence. The result of these widespread misconceptions is a stigma that is a significant barrier to treatment. People often don’t want to talk about mental illness or seek help for it when they fear judgement and social rejection.

Understanding Mental Illness

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