Mental health includes our emotional, psychological, and social well-being. It affects how we think, feel, and act. It also helps determine how we handle stress, relate to others, and make choices. Mental health is important at every stage of life, from childhood and adolescence through adulthood. Over the course of your life, if you experience mental health problems, your thinking, mood, and behavior could be affected.

Many factors contribute to mental health problems, including:

• Biological factors, such as genes or brain chemistry.
• Life experiences, such as trauma or abuse.
• Family history of mental health problems.

The first thing you must know is that you are not alone. Mental health conditions are far more common than you think, mainly because people don’t like to, or are scared to, talk about them. However:

• 1 in 5 U.S. adults experience mental illness each year.
• 1 in 20 U.S. adults experience serious mental illness each year.
• 1 in 6 U.S. youth aged 6-17 experience a mental health disorder each year.
• 50% of all lifetime mental illness begins by age 14, and 75% by age 24.

None of this means that you’re broken or that you, or your family, did something “wrong.” Mental illness is no one’s fault. And for many people, recovery — including meaningful roles in social life, school and work — is possible, especially when you start treatment early and play a strong role in your own recovery process.

Mental health is “a state of successful performance or mental function, resulting in productive activities, fulfilling relationships with other people, and the ability to adapt to change and cope with adversity.”, According to the World Health Organization.

Human well-being must be at the heart of the elite athletic performance. Athletes should feel empowered and nurtured both physically and mentally. Mental health and physical health are two halves of a whole, and care for both must be seen as a priority.