Mental health and wellbeing is an area where people have unanswered and even unasked questions. The stigma surrounding mental illness means that issues related to the broader topic of mental health and wellbeing are often not discussed properly in the public domain. This allows common stereotypes to continue in our society unchecked. The section below breaks down some of the common misunderstandings and myths in mental health and wellbeing.

Mental health is, according to the World Health Organisation, a state of wellbeing in which the individual realises his or her own abilities, can cope with the normal stresses of life, can work productively and fruitfully and is able to make a contribution to his or her community (1). Mental illness, on the other hand, is a diagnosable illness that significantly interferes with an individual's cognitive, emotional and/or social ability. There are different types of mental disorders, e.g. depression, anxiety, psychosis, substance use disorder and these different disorders may all occur within the one individual with different degrees of severity (2).

A psychologist studies human behaviour in their undergraduate and postgraduate degrees before undertaking supervised experience and gaining registration. They do not have a medical degree, however many study for a similar number of years to specialise in various aspects of psychology. For example, clinical psychologists study for at least six years to attain their qualifications. Psychologists can help mentally healthy people improve their functioning and can treat people with specific mental illnesses. Psychologists cannot prescribe medications. A psychiatrist has a medical degree, which involves six years of studying general medicine, followed by further study to specialise in psychiatry. Psychiatrists generally focus on treating people with specific mental illnesses and can prescribe medications (3).

To answer this question it is important firstly to clarify what is meant by the term recovery. Recovery is best defined as a process rather than an outcome (4). This means recovery is not simply about being "normal" and symptom free - it is about an individual's personal wellbeing and an improvement in their quality of life. There are many people who may never be truly "cured" but nevertheless, with the appropriate treatment, they will be able to enjoy a fulfilling life without their illness disrupting their everyday functioning. Like any illness, it is possible to recover from a mental illness, though the pathway to recovery differs from person to person and there is no one "correct" way people recover. Some individuals choose to utilise mental health services and the support from friends and family, others use medication and sometimes a combination of the two.

Sometimes it can take a lot of courage to admit to the people in your life and to yourself, that something may not be quite right. Having a mental illness is like having any other medical condition; it does not imply any weakness in character either physically, mentally, morally or emotionally. The importance of seeking help, especially early, cannot be underestimated. Studies have shown early detection and treatment can reduce the risk of future incidents of mental illness and even improve long-term health (5). So surround yourself with people who care about you - because at the end of the day they're the ones you can rely on for non-judgemental support.

Mental illness does not discriminate between gender, socioeconomic status, age or race, anyone can have a mental illness. There is no stereotypical profile for someone with a mental illness. Currently, there is no sound evidence to suggest that mentally ill people are violent. In fact, a large body of research suggests that people with mental illnesses are far more likely to be the ones who are victimised by other members of society. (6) In general, there is an over-representation of mental disorders amongst those with lower socioeconomic status. However, we do not completely understand this link. Some research suggests that having a low socioeconomic status may make some people more vulnerable to episodes of mental illness because they have fewer resources - financial and social - to buffer them against life stressors (7). Other studies have looked into the idea that the social stigma of having a mental illness may somehow prevent a person from attaining higher socioeconomic status (8). The belief that mental illness is only seen in ethnic minorities is incorrect. A good example of this is Anorexia Nervosa and Bulimia, both well studied mental illnesses which, up until fairly recently, were only ever seen exclusively in mainstream Western culture (9). What is important to realise, is that mental illness is not an exotic disease and it can affect anyone in your community.

We know that genes play a role in mental illness, but there is no single gene that has been identified as responsible. Some research has indicated that genes may play a role in the development of mental illnesses - in particular schizophrenia and bipolar disorder (10, 11). For example, in the general population there is a 1-2% chance a random individual will develop schizophrenia. However, if an identical twin develops schizophrenia, the chance the other twin will also develop schizophrenia increases to 50% (12). Other studies focus on how genes may cause chemical and hormonal imbalances and the subsequent effect of this imbalance may play a role in depression, bipolar and other mood disorders (13). However, no one gene is ever solely responsible for any particular kind of mental illness. Genes can only indicate an individual's predisposition towards a certain mental illness, so whilst it is good to be aware of any mental illnesses within the family, there are also many external contributing factors.

Sort of. Overall, research has shown that people classified as having optimistic outlooks on life tend to report higher levels of happiness (18). But happiness is difficult to measure because everyone has a different opinion as to what happiness really is (19). Because of this, experts rarely use happiness as a measure of mental health. Also, mental health is about achieving a sense of wellbeing and balance within your life, not constantly trying to feel a state of happiness. Sometimes there are situations when it's not appropriate to be happy and feeling sad is a natural, even healthy response, such as when we grieve the loss of a loved one.

Mainly because there is no health without mental health! Mentally healthy people tend to be happier than those who are not mentally healthy and physically healthier too (20). For example, mentally healthy individuals are more likely to report better health, fewer symptoms and are less likely to engage in potentially detrimental health behaviours such as binge drinking and drug taking.

There are many ways to improve your own mental health, check out these sections of our website for some helpful suggestions, learn from others who've shared their stories, and try these links to other organisations.

There are many ways to improve the mental health of friends and family, people in the workplace or in your community. Check out the change minds section for some useful tips and ideas.

Find a number of useful fact sheets on mental health issues at from the Mental Health Information Service