A variety of terms are used to describe mental health problems: mental disorder, mental illness, poor mental health, psychiatric illness, nervous breakdown, and burnout. There are also numerous slang terms that are less than flattering.

These terms do not give much information about what is really happening with the person. Worse, slang terms reinforce negative attitudes about mental health issues and can be hurtful to people with mental health problems. Myths, misinformation and lack of knowledge lead to stigma around mental health issues and discrimination that prevents people from accessing help and hinders recovery.

Mental health problems are common. Over the course of any person’s life, it is highly likely that they will develop a mental health problem themselves or have close contact with someone who does.

 In Canada, one person in five will experience some problem with their mental health in the course of a year.  In Canada, one person in three will experience a mental health problem in their lifetime.

Half of all mental disorders begin by age 14, and 75% begin by age 24. Some of the specific anxiety-related disorders may begin by age 11. Substance-related disorders tend to occur in the later teen years, while the mood-related disorders occur at an average age of 30. These numbers merely show a pattern but there are wide individual differences across the population. Some individuals will experience a disorder much earlier or later than the average age.