What is Mental Health?

Just like physical health, we all have mental health too! Each day, week, month, and throughout our lives, our well-being can change. There are all kinds of strategies we can use to keep our minds healthy and depending on what's going on in our lives we might need to try new strategies too. Using these strategies will help us develop a better sense of emotional well-being.  It's important to remember that mental health and mental illness are not the same. Mental illness (i.e. mental disorders) can be diagnosed by a healthcare professional, but having a mental illness does not mean that you can't have good mental health. With the strategies provided in this toolkit, one can feel better by doing an activity that offers a better sense of emotional well-being. For more information on this "dual continuum", please check out School Mental Health Ontario.