Mental Health, Wellness and Illness
By Alexa Eden
How they’re similar, and different. Let’s Debunk this once and for all!
We’ve heard the buzzwords, scrolled through posts, and explored trending hashtags. And while “Mental Health” has been on everyone's tongue...what about “Mental Wellness”? Let’s get to the heart of the issue. Over the past several decades, American’s in particular have expressed more feelings of depression, anxiety, loss of motivation, fear, burnout, and varying degrees of mental illness disorders. All of which has successfully increased awareness of mental illness. However, many of us are still left with the question, what exactly is the difference between being mentally well, healthy, and/or ill.
“In understanding the difference between health and wellness, in short, health is a state of being, whereas wellness is the state of living a healthy lifestyle (3).” (NCBI)
With this in mind, let’s also examine the definition of Mental Illness. “Short- or long-term mood, thinking, and behavior disorders or related symptoms that are severe enough to interfere with people’s activities, work, and relationships.”
In other words, Mental health, wellness, and illness are of similar science, but are made up of different components.
Health is the state of being we wish to achieve,
Wellness is the actions and lifestyle we are leading to have that become a reality
Illness is when symptoms are beyond our reach, and in turn, begins impacting our day to day performance.
Over the past decade, the physical health and “wellness” industry has skyrocketed to become a 4.2 trillion dollar industry, and now that 45 million Americans are experiencing various forms of mental illness, we are seeing a new industry emerge to proactively support the onset of these diagnoses.
As we continue to overcome volatility in our society, our world markets, our healthcare system, and our various industries and institutions, it is imperative that we each take responsibility for the health and wellbeing of our mental state.
“Bundling (general) wellness together with mental health in the context of employee well-being is pernicious,” stated in an article by Quartz “It presents mental health as a choice you can opt into, rather than a universal concern with real consequences. Without proper emphasis placed on the importance of mental health, people will continue avoiding proper treatment and accessing professional care.”
Mental wellbeing must be acknowledged for its level of importance. Mental strength is not a luxury, it is necessary for individuals to feel whole, happy and complete.
To learn more about how The C3 Method can support you in integrating mental wellness services into your workplace, or individual life, please visit our services page, and schedule a free consultation with our mental wellness staff.