Mental Health and Exercise
By Nadia Butt [Get Well Clinic]
Defining mental illness and mental health
Mental illness is when the brain is not working the way it should, and as a result, it affects how a person behaves, thinks and feels. Mental illness often disrupts a person’s ability to function in society and interact with others (American Psychiatric Association, 2018). There is a collection of different types of mental illnesses such as depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia and post-traumatic stress disorder. Individuals with mental illness may experience sadness, extreme feelings of worry, anger and/or mood changes (Lobo & Agius, 2012). However, since mental illnesses are on a spectrum, the severity of symptoms vary between individuals (Lobo & Agius, 2012).
Figure 1. Mental Health Continuum Model (Every Moment Counts, n.d.)
