From Mental Health to Mental Wellness: A New Model for the Mind
What does it mean to be “healthy?” A complicated question. Humans are complex beings, with countless layers and systems, competing and cooperating and sometimes making a mess.
We contain multitudes. And thus so should our definitions of well-being and healthy states of mind.
There’s an evolution beginning to happen. A shift in perspective. From mental health to mental wellness. Once narrowly focused on diagnosing and treating mental illness, the conversation is moving toward mental wellness: a more holistic, preventative, and empowering approach to psychological well-being.
This isn’t just a change in language. But a cultural and clinical reframing with potentially profound implications for individuals, employers, policymakers, and the healthcare ecosystem at large.
Mental Health vs. Mental Wellness
While this may seem like a subtle difference in language, the contrast is more than just semantic. The terms are often used interchangeably, but they refer to different models and perspectives — and like paintings that seem to change the longer you look at them, the gap between these two terms expands the more you let yourself see it.
Mental health is traditionally a clinical concept, consisting of diagnosing, treating, and managing mental illnesses such as depression, anxiety, and PTSD. It is reactive by nature: care is often sought after symptoms become unmanageable.
Mental wellness, by contrast, emphasizes proactive care and self-awareness. It includes practices and mindsets that support emotional balance, stress management, psychological resilience, and other preventative habits, regardless of a diagnosis.
According to the World Health Organization, 1 in 8 people are living with a diagnosable mental disorder. That means that approximately 85% people don’t have a “mental illness” — but does this mean that they’re all mentally well?
What about the undiagnosed? The people with strong coping mechanisms? Those who’ve incorporated denial and “sucking it up” into their personalities? What about the millions around the world who find themselves on a trajectory towards the land of the officially mentally unhealthy?
Chronic stress, incessant worry, negative thoughts, social anxiety and an endless parade of subtle symptoms that built under that surface, avoiding clinical classification.
Mental health is a spectrum not a destination; and wellness is more than just the absence of illness.
Differences between Mental Health and Mental Wellness
- Mental Health: Diagnoses, therapy, medication, treatment plans.
- Mental Wellness: Mindfulness, movement, sleep hygiene, emotional regulation.
- Mental Health: Often initiated during crisis or when reach unmanageable levels.
- Mental Wellness: Built into daily life.
Wellness as a Tool for Mental Health
Mental health is a state of mental well-being that enables people to cope with the stresses of life, realize their abilities, learn well and work well, and contribute to their community. — World Health Organization
This definition highlights function and flourishing, not just symptom relief. Which is why implementing a more holistic perspective and strategy — such as mental wellness — could be a positive strategy for long-term mental well-being.
Let’s not dismiss traditional mental health care, these models and treatments remain critical to those in need of therapeutic help. When people require these interventions they should be readily available and updated for today’s needs. But there’s a growing body of research supporting the idea that mental wellness practices can reduce the risk of developing full-blown mental health conditions, and improve outcomes when clinical care is needed.
This study, published in Journal of Affective Disorders, examined how the absence of positive psychological well-being could increase the chances of depression. This study was one of the first to explore whether a lack of positive well-being was an independent risk for future mental health issues.
Researchers followed over 5,500 adults for 10 years (this study followed an older age group, 50 years and up). They assessed positive psychological well-being (including purpose, autonomy, self-acceptance, and relationships), personality traits, and depression symptoms.
- Individuals with less positive well-being were 7 times more likely to experience depression a decade later.
- Even after controlling for personality, prior depression, demographic, economic, and physical health variables, those with low well-being remained twice as likely to become depressed.
Human beings are often short-sighted. We have a hard time preparing for the future. We know we should diet, should watch our weight, save money for retirement, do something about climate change. But all of that is so far away and not an immediate danger (is what our monkey brains and lazy habits tell us).
Will we finally listen to the science when our mental health is on the line? When a few simple lifestyle changes could significantly improve our future quality of life?
The Cost of Ignoring Mental Wellness
Failing to proactively address mental wellness isn’t just a personal risk — it comes at a staggering cost to society, healthcare systems, and the global economy.
According to a global study published in The Lancet Psychiatry, half of all people worldwide will experience a mental health disorder at some point in their lives. The findings are based on surveys with over 150,000 adults across 29 countries, led by researchers from Harvard Medical School and the University of Queensland.
This troubling trend translates to real world costs. Mental disorders are now one of the leading causes of disability worldwide, with a dramatic rise in the number of Disability-Adjusted Life Years (DALYs) lost due to mental illness. According to the Global Burden of Disease report, mental disorders now rank among the top 10 global causes of years lost to illness or disability.
The economic toll is equally alarming. The Lancet Commission on Global Mental Health projects that mental health conditions will cost the global economy $6 trillion annually by 2030 if left unaddressed. This includes both direct healthcare costs and indirect losses from reduced productivity, absenteeism, and premature mortality.
At the individual level, untreated mental health issues are linked to lower academic performance, higher risk of chronic physical illness, and greater involvement with the criminal justice system. In the workplace, poor mental health is a leading cause of long-term disability claims and employee turnover — yet a very small percentage of national health budgets are spent on mental health globally.
How to Improve Mental Wellness: Practical Strategies Backed by Science
Improving mental wellness involves cultivating daily habits that support emotional balance, resilience, and a sense of purpose — not just avoiding illness, but actively fostering well-being.
Practice Mindfulness and Meditation
Mindfulness-based interventions like meditation have been shown to reduce anxiety, improve mood, and even enhance immune function. A study in JAMA Internal Medicine found mindfulness training effective for reducing a range of mental health conditions.
Prioritize Sleep
Sleep is foundational to mental wellness. Inadequate sleep affects mood, cognition, and emotional regulation. A major review by the American Psychological Association says that sleep deprivation makes us less happy and more anxious (this study reviewed over 50 years of research on sleep deprivation and mood).
Move Your Body
Exercise boosts endorphins and supports brain health. Even light movement, like walking 30 minutes a day, has been shown to lower depression and anxiety levels.
Connect with Others
Strong social connections are one of the most consistent predictors of mental wellness. Loneliness is a significant risk factor for depression and even early mortality (in older people). Make time for meaningful relationships.
Create a Sense of Purpose
Engaging in activities that align with your values — whether through work, volunteering, or hobbies — supports long-term emotional well-being. A sense of purpose has been linked to better health outcomes and being better able to deal with negative issues.
Mental Wellness Checklist
- Breathwork & meditation
- Regular physical activity
- Time in nature
- Journaling and reflection
- Digital time management or detox
- Social connection
- Sleep hygiene
- Creativity & play
The rise of mental wellness doesn’t mean we abandon traditional mental health services. Instead, it offers a more integrated model, one that includes both clinical support and everyday practices.
A shift and an integration. From crisis response to resilience-building, from pathologizing to empowering. An invitation to take mental well-being seriously not only when things go wrong, but in everyday life.
The goal is not to replace psychiatry or mental health therapy — but to build a culture where taking care of our minds is as normal, habitual, and essential as brushing our teeth or going to the gym.
Being proactive about mental wellness isn’t a luxury separated from mental health. It’s an integral part of it.
