How to take care of your mental health

It is quite common to hear that people use these terms as if they were synonyms, however, mental health and mental illness are two very different things. We explain:

Mental health includes a person's emotional, psychological, and social well-being. It also determines how a human being handles stress, relates to others, and makes decisions.

Mental illnesses or disorders account for the highest percentage of health problems in the United States. They alter a person's thinking, behavior, and mood. The best known are depression, schizophrenia and bipolar disorder.

There are conditions that are temporary, while mental illnesses or disorders are permanent and affect the ability to function from day to day. A person's mental health may be severely affected, but this does not necessarily mean that they have or will develop a mental illness. While, on the other hand, a person who does have a mental illness may have periods of emotional stability and social well-being.

National Suicide Prevention: 800-273-8255 (Free, Spanish & 24/7)

Anxiety and Worry: 1-866-202-4357

NJ Mental Health Cares, the state's behavioral health information and referral service, will also now offer help to people experiencing anxiety and worry related to the Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak. New Jersey residents can call 1-866-202-HELP (4357) for free and confidential help. The NJ Mental Health Hotline will be available from 8am to 8pm, seven days a week, by a trained specialist live.

NJ Human Services Mental Health and Addiction Services (DMHAS) offers support to the Mental Health Association of New Jersey (MHANJ) to manage the hotline.

If you experience problems with your mental health let your Catholic Charity social worker know.