A mental illness is a health issue that can affect your thoughts, mood and behaviour. A mental health issue can affect the way you see and interact with the world around you.
A mental illness can impact your ability to function in everyday life, such as:
Some mental illnesses last for a short time. Other may last for your whole life.
The impact that a mental illness has on your life depends on many things. A mental illness may be more disabling if:
Almost 1 in 2 Australians will experience a mental health disorder at some time in their life.
There are many different types of mental illness. Some of the main groups of mental health disorders are:
Mental illness can change your thoughts, moods or behaviour. This can happen suddenly or over time and can impact people differently.
Each type of mental illness causes different symptoms. Some common symptoms are:
These symptoms can impact your life and lead to:
Mental illness can increase your chance of having suicidal thoughts.
Some symptoms can be more specific to certain conditions. Here are some examples:
Symptoms can be very distressing for a person with mental illness, as well as for their loved ones.
If you have a mental illness, symptoms may come and go throughout your life.
There are many interacting factors that can contribute to a mental illness.
Many things that can affect your mental health are influenced by genetics. If you have a family member with a mental illness, you may have a higher chance of developing a mental illness.
Your mental health can be affected by your:
In both children and adults, the chance of developing a mental illness can increase with experiences of:
Illicit drug use can be associated with mental illness and can trigger certain symptoms like psychosis.
Your mental health may be impacted by issues such as:
Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, intersex, queer/questioning, asexual and other sexually or gender diverse (LGBTIQA+) Australians may be at higher risk of mental illness.
Your physical health plays a role in your mental health problems. Other health conditions can impact your everyday life.
If you have symptoms of a mental illness that impact your daily life it's important to get help.
Seeing your doctor is the first step to getting treated and returning to good mental health.
A doctor can help diagnose your mental illness. They will ask about your thoughts, mood and behaviours.
A mental health diagnosis can help you understand your symptoms and work towards recovery.
Let your doctor know if anything is worrying you — it can help them assess your mental health.
If you are diagnosed with a mental health problem or illness, your doctor can develop a mental health treatment plan for you.
Your doctor can also refer you to a mental health professional, such as a:
It's normal to feel nervous talking to your doctor about your mental health. It may help to bring a family member, carer or friend to your appointment.
Blood tests or brain scans are not needed to confirm a mental illness. Your doctor may suggest these tests, as the results can help rule out other causes for your symptoms.
There are many treatment options for mental illnesses. Most people with mental illness recover and live productive and full lives.
You can read more about recovery and mental health.
Your best treatment will depend on:
A good first step is to talk to someone, such as your partner, friend or a family member. They can support you through your recovery.
There are many different types of therapy to help manage mental illness. These include:
You can engage with therapy:
Therapy can be done in person, over the phone or online.
You can read more about types of psychotherapy.
Medicines can be used to treat mental illness. Antidepressants are used for conditions like anxiety or depression.
Antipsychotic medicines and mood stabilisers may be used for psychosis.
A doctor or psychiatrist can tell you which treatments may be suitable for you.
Healthy habits and lifestyle measures are important to help manage mental illness and avoid unhealthy coping mechanisms. You can:
If you have a mental illness, you may want to try complementary therapies like meditation, yoga and relaxation strategies for stress relief.
Sometimes, these techniques may be part of psychosocial therapy.
There are many different mental health services in Australia. These include programs in your community. They can help with practical aspects of life, such as:
They can be helpful if you have a long-term mental illness. You can ask your doctor about local services.
It may be necessary for you to be treated in hospital.
This may happen if you are struggling to take care of yourself or if you are at risk of harming yourself or others.
You can help maintain good mental health by:
If you need support in a language other than English, visit the Embrace Multicultural Mental Health (Opens in new tab) website.
Telephone or online mental health resources can often be effective, especially if you aren't able to access a health service or find talking to someone face-to-face difficult. Here are some telephone and online resources to try:
You can also call the healthdirect helpline on 1800 022 222 (known as NURSE-ON-CALL in Victoria). A registered nurse is available to speak with you 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
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Last reviewed: July 2025
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