What is mental health?

"Mental health is a state of well-being in which an individual realizes his or her abilities, can cope with the normal stresses of life, can work productively, and can contribute to his or her community" – World Health Organization.

Mental health is more than the absence of mental disorders.

We all have mental health.

What is mental illness?

We all have ups and downs.

You don’t have to be happy all of the time.

It’s normal to sometimes feel sad, angry, annoyed, frustrated, scared, or anxious. These feelings make you human.

However, if these feelings become too much, or affect you on a day-to-day basis, you may need some support for your mental health.

Trying thinking about it like this:

It’s normal to feel out of breath after running fast (we think even Joshua Cheptegei feels breathless sometimes! It’s not normal to feel out of breath after getting dressed. This could be a sign of illness, like anemia.
It’s normal to feel full after eating a big plate of matoke and beans. It’s not normal to have a painful burning sensation after eating. This could be a sign of illness, like a stomach ulcer.
It’s normal to feel dizzy after spinning around in a circle! It’s not normal to feel dizzy when you turn over in bed. This could be a sign of illness, like an ear infection.
It’s normal to feel anxious before an exam. It’s not normal to feel anxious all of the time so that you never feel relaxed. This could be a sign of a mental health problem, like an anxiety disorder.
It’s normal to feel sad if you lose someone you love, it’s okay to cry too. It’s not normal to feel sad all the time or to have thoughts of harming yourself. This could be a sign of a mental health problem, like depression.

Mental health problems, like depression and anxiety, are treatable illnesses, like anemia or stomach ulcers.