May is Mental Health Month

Sunday, May 1st, 2011

Mental Health Month began in 1949 to raise awareness of mental health conditions and mental wellness for all. The promotion of positive mental health and the prevention of substance abuse and mental illness have been key parts of SAMHSA’s mission to reduce the impact of substance abuse and mental illness on America’

s communities.

Mental health is a key component to a person’s overall health. As discussed by the Surgeon General, Dr. Regina M. Benjamin, in the Mental Health: A Report of the Surgeon General, “mental health” and “mental illness”

are not polar opposites but may be thought of as points on a continuum. Mental health is a state of successful performance of mental function, resulting in productive activities, fulfilling relationships with other people and the ability to adapt to change and to cope with adversity. Mental health is indispensable to personal well-being, family and interpersonal relationships and contribution to community or society. Mental illness is the term that refers collectively to all diagnosable mental disorders. Mental disorders are health conditions that are characterized by alterations in thinking, mood, or behavior (or some combination thereof) associated with distress and/or impaired functioning.

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