With mental health issues and battles becoming more common in our communities, staying educated and well understanding of what the topic discusses is important. So, what is mental health? Mental health includes our emotional, psychological, and social well- being. It affects how we think, feel and act. Along with determining how we handle stress, relate to others, and making healthy choices. Mental health is important throughout life, from childhood through adulthood and beyond. Mental health can affect our normal daily lives, relationships, and even physical health. Common mental health illnesses include stress, depression and anxiety, which all affect a person’s mental health and genuine well being. In the United States, the National numbers on mental illness shows that almost one in every five adults experience mental health struggles each year. In 2020, it was estimated that about 14.2 million adults in the United States had a serious psychological condition. Everyone is at risk of developing and battling a mental health disorder, no matter the sex, race, age or income. Social and financial circumstances, adverse childhood experiences, and underlying medical conditions are all factors when it comes to a person’s mental health. Many of those that do have a mental health disorder, can also be dealing with another at the same time. It’s important to balance and note the following mental health factors, as you or someone you may know might be going through mental health disruptions. Factors include constant social pressure, occupation, house quality, education, childhood adversity, and biological factors. There are many types of mental health disorders, some well known and some not so much. Mental health disorders often seen include anxiety, depression, panic disorder, phobias, obsessive- compulsive disorder (OCD), post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), mood disorders and schizophrenia disorders. Trying to catch early signs of mental health struggles is extremely important, as getting the care the individual needs early on, is most likely to have the best outcome. No physical test or scan indicates if a person has developed a mental illness, but you should look out for the following signs as possible indications of a mental health disorder. Signs include withdrawing from social activity, sleeping too much or too little, eating too much or too little, feeling hopeless, having constant low energy, being confused, feeling unable to perform daily tasks, and thinking of causing physical harm to themselves  or others. Diagnosing a mental health disorder requires a multi-step process, like a doctor looking at the patient’s medical history and performing a physical exam to rule out serious physical conditions or issues that may be causing symptoms. A psychological evaluation includes evaluating symptoms and experiences. If there’s a conclusion where treatment is needed, most frequently those that need it find a therapist, simply to talk and to understand the mental illness you are going through, and start to work on patterns that support everyday life. If you or someone you know seem to be struggling with a mental health illness, find the help needed as soon as possible.