About Mental Illness
A mental illness is a condition that affects a person's thinking, feeling or mood. Such conditions may affect someone's ability to relate to others and function each day. Each person will have different experiences, even people with the same diagnosis.
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NAMI recognizes that other organizations have drawn distinctions between what diagnoses are considered “mental health conditions” as opposed to “mental illnesses.” We intentionally use the terms “mental health conditions” and “mental illness/es” interchangeably.
Mental Health Information from NAMI National
NAMI recognizes that other organizations have drawn distinctions between what diagnoses are considered “mental health conditions” as opposed to “mental illnesses.” We intentionally use the terms “mental health conditions” and “mental illness/es” interchangeably.
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A mental illness is a condition that affects a person's thinking, feeling, behavior or mood. These conditions deeply impact day-to-day living and may also affect the ability to relate to others. If you have — or think you might have — a mental illness, the first thing you must know is that you are not alone. Mental health conditions are far more common than you think, mainly because people don’t like to, or are scared to, talk about them. However:
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1 in 5 U.S. adults experience mental illness each year
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1 in 20 U.S. adults experience serious mental illness each year
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1 in 6 U.S. youth aged 6-17 experience a mental health disorder each year
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50% of all lifetime mental illness begins by age 14, and 75% by age 24
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For more information on mental health conditions from NAMI National's website, click the logo below:
