What is Mental Health?

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 choices. Mental health is important at every stage of life, from childhood and adolescence through adulthood.

Many factors can contribute to mental health, including but not limited to:

  • Biological factors
  • Life experiences
  • Family history

1 in 5

US adults experience mental illness

1 in 25

US adults experience serious mental illness

17%

of youth (6-17 years) experience a mental health disorder

11 years

is the average delay between symptom onset and treatment

19%

of US adults with mental illness also have a substance use disorder

20%

of people experiencing homelessness also have a serious mental illness

70%

of youth in the juvenile justice system have at least one mental health condition

50%

of all lifetime mental illness begins by age 14

4x

Lesbian, gay and bisexual youth are four times more likely to attempt suicide than straight youth