​Mental health includes your emotional and mental well-being. It affects how you think, connect with others and your ability to achieve your goals. Good mental health allows you to do the things you want to and the things you need to even when stressful moments arise. Mental health impacts the way you handle stress, your relationships with others, and how you treat yourself.  Mental Health and Physical Health are connected. When someone is struggling with their mental health, it impacts their physical health and can show up in a variety of signs and symptoms.  Signs are things that others may notice about you and symptoms are behaviors that others may notice that indicate that you could use some extra support.  Mental health challenges and feelings of distress are normal experiences that all individuals experience. While all emotions are valid, it can be difficult to experience  emotions that are uncomfortable or distressing for long periods of time. Stressful and complex events such as the loss of a relationship, death in the family, a breakup, losing your job, caring for an ill family member, failing a class in school, or having thoughts about hurting yourself may result in a mental health challenge or crisis.  Mental Health challenges differ from mental illnesses, which are diagnosed by psychologists, psychiatrists and physicians.  There are many types of mental health disorders/illnesses. Some of the most common mental health illnesses in Canada are anxiety and depression, but there are many other types such as mood disorders, personality disorders, eating disorders and psychotic disorders. In Canada, 1 in 5 people will be diagnosed with a mental illness or disorder in their lifetime.  Suicide is not considered a mental health illness on its own but suicidal thoughts can arise due mental distress, traumatic experiences or due to the presence of an undiagnosed or untreated mental health disorder.