When we refer to mental health, we’re talking about psychological, emotional, and social well-being.

Throughout our lives, our mental health plays a role in how we think, feel, and act. It influences how we handle life, relate to others, and make choices. 

Mental health includes the capacity to:

• Think rationally and logically
• Cope with transitions, loss, stress, and trauma
• Be aware of and accept limitations and boundaries.
• A mentally healthy person is able to choose among thoughts, shift flexibly between them, and match mood and emotional expression to the present situation. Mental health does not imply an absence of distress or suffering, nor does it imply strict social conformity.

A mental illness is a disease that causes mild to severe disruptions in how people think, feel, and behave.

Like other organs in our bodies, our brain is vulnerable to disease and disorders. And, just like other diseases, such as diabetes or pneumonia, mental illnesses can have physical as well as psychological symptoms.

The good news is that with appropriate care and treatment, many people with mental disorders can get better, resume normal activities, and learn to cope with or recover from a mental illness.

There are more than 200 defined types of mental illness (psychiatric illnesses) classified in The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition (DSM-5). Published by the American Psychiatric Association, the DSM-5 is used by mental health practitioners in the United States for the diagnosis of mental disorders.

Mental illnesses include: major depression, schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), panic disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), addictions, and borderline personality disorder.

Most mental illnesses are experienced on a spectrum of severity: At one end are well-adjusted, successful individuals whose disorders are invisible to others. At the other end of the spectrum are individuals who are too severely impaired to lead normal lives – the extreme that most people think of when they hear “mentally ill.”

Mental illness can affect anyone regardless of age, race, religion, origins or socioeconomic status. Mental illness usually strikes individuals in the prime of their lives, often during adolescence and young adulthood. We know that 50 percent of people who develop a psychiatric illness have symptoms of a disorder before age 14, and 75 percent will have symptoms by age 25. All ages are susceptible, but the young and the old are especially vulnerable.

As with most medical problems, early treatment leads to better outcomes.

Sometimes people don’t seek treatment because they don't know what treatment options are available; they may feel embarrassed or ashamed, or they may not know that their thinking or behavior is a problem.

If you or someone you know is experiencing symptoms that may indicate a psychiatric disorder, a consultation with a mental health professional or your primary care physician should be considered.

More information can be found at herefortexas.com

• About Mental Health
• Mental Health Quiz
• Children's Mental Health
• Mental Health vs Mental Illness - What's the Difference?
• Tools and Resources
• Caring for Your Mental Health
• El Cuidado de su salud mental
• Mental Health Resources

If you or someone you know is struggling or in crisis, help is available.
Call or text 988 or chat 988lifeline.org

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• Practicing Self-Care: 5 Tips for Teachers 

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• Guide for Parents of Addicted Children and Teens Part I: The Addiction Problem
• Guide for Parents of Addicted Children and Teens Part II: Intervening and Getting Help
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• Unbearable feelings: extreme feelings of hopelessness, despair, and self-doubt.
• Taking care of business: making end-of-life plans, preparing wills, and giving away valued possessions.
• Rehearsing suicide: discussing suicide methods, purchasing weapons, or acquiring large quantities of medication.
• Drug or alcohol use can cause impulsive behaviors.
• Isolation: cutting off social connections with friends, family, and quitting a job.
• Sudden sense of calm: a person who was recently feeling upset or hopeless suddenly seems very calm and settled. It might be a sign that he or she has decided on a plan to complete suicide.

It’s very helpful to have a safety plan ready before thoughts of suicide occur.

• Make a Plan for Life. Make a plan to stay alive and follow it—Seek Help!
• Stay in contact with your doctor. Always have your doctor's phone number with you, as well as a suicide hotline number, 988.
• Stay in contact with trusted friends. Develop a list of phone numbers with those you trust and keep it with you.
• Recognize symptoms for what they are. Remember, feelings are not facts. Suicidal feelings are not your fault, and they are only a symptom of your illness.
• Write down your thoughts. Spend time each day writing down the things and people you appreciate and that bring you joy. Refer to this when you feel low, sad, or suicidal. A mood tracker is helpful.
• Connect with other people socially. When you are feeling suicidal, don’t be alone for long periods of time. Seek trusted friends.
• Avoid drugs and alcohol. Consumption of drugs and alcohol can lead to actions that could be very dangerous.
• Know when it’s best to go to the hospital. Ask for help if you need it!
• Understand your health coverage. If you have insurance, call the number on the back of your card for providers.
• Keep yourself safe. Make sure you don’t have access to guns or weapons.
• Give yourself time to get better.

GPISD CRISIS PREVENTION/INTERVENTION PROTOCOL: SUICIDE RISK RESPONSE

Early drug abuse correlates with substance abuse problems later in life, and the most significant increases in destructive behavior appear to take place among older teens and young adults.

• 2.08 million or 8.33% of 12- to 17-year-olds nationwide report using drugs in the last month.
• Among them, 83.88% report using marijuana in the last month.
• 591,000 teenagers aged 12 to 17 years old used an illicit drug other than marijuana in the last month.
• 8.7% of 8th graders have used illicit drugs in the last month.
• 21.3% of 8th graders have tried illicit drugs at least once.
• By the time they’re in 12th grade, 46.6% of teens have tried illicit drugs.
• 11.89 million 18- to 25-year-olds used drugs in the last month.
• 4,777 Americans aged 15 to 24 years old died of an overdose of illicit drugs in one year.
• 11.2% of overdose deaths are aged 15 to 24 years.

- National Center for Drug Abuse Statistics

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