Despite the fast-paced circumstances of this world, people are more into learning about why mental health or well-being matters, as discussions about mental health vs. well-being are more common than ever. People who live a balanced life know the key difference between these terminologies. Understanding the difference isn’t just essential for professionals but also for anyone who wants to lead a stress-free life. We also use mental health and mental well-being interchangeably in our lives, but few people know that they refer to different conditions.
Mental health is defined as a state of mind or our ability to cope with stress or manage emotions. On the other hand, mental well-being is seen in a broader context, as it mainly encompasses our mental, physical, and emotional ability to deal with different situations. It is also referred to as our overall satisfaction with life.
Whether you’re someone dealing with any mental instability and recovery from a condition like a concussion, or you want to improve your quality of life with stable mental health, this blog will help you find the right balance. This blog breaks down some key differences between mental health and mental well-being, explores their connection, and shares some actionable steps to improve both. We’ll also enlighten Lina Maria’s perspectives regarding mental health and well-being in this blog, as she highlights the importance of mental health and how one can recover from a concussion, one of the major mental health conditions.
Mental Health Vs. Well-being – The Key Difference
If you’re assuming that mental health and mental well-being are the two sides of the same coin, you need to update your knowledge, because these terms serve different purposes in our lives.
1. Understanding Mental Well-being
Mental well-being is referred to as a mental state in which a person feels good, and it is also the reason that a person may function well. If you’re in a stable mental state:
- You feel a sense of purpose and fulfillment
- You manage stress effectively
- You experience positive relationships
- You have the resilience to deal with life’s ups and downs
2. Mental Health Basics for Beginners
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), mental health is defined as a state of well-being in which a person realizes their abilities. A person whose mental health is stable can cope with the everyday stresses of life and can work productively. Anyone who wants to contribute to society should focus on their mental health first. As per research, various factors that can impact an individual’s mental health, such as genetics, environment, and life experiences, can significantly influence one’s personality. Mental health isn’t like mental well-being, as it can fluctuate over time due to various reasons.
3. The Role of Mental Health and Well-being in Life
Mental health is seen as a psychological state and our individual capability to deal with stressful situations. Meanwhile, mental well-being is perceived in a broader context, including mental, emotional, and physical wellness. Our lifestyle preferences or choices also indicate our mental well-being. In simple words, we cannot survive without the crucial role of mental health and mental well-being in our lives; however, good mental health is one of the crucial components of overall well-being, but we can’t see well-being in a closed scenario because it just extends beyond mental health.
How Mental Health Affects Mental Well-being
- Emotional, Social, and Psychological Well-being
To understand how mental health deeply affects mental well-being, we need to view this relationship from a broader lens, as our emotional, social, and physical well-being depends on our mental stability. Mental health influences how we think, how we perceive different aspects of life, what we feel, and how we act in different situations.
- Dealing with Stress, Anxiety, and Depression
When a person experiences tough circumstances, it is normal to get depressed and stressed. Our everyday struggles challenge our mental health in many ways; therefore, how we effectively manage our stress and challenges decides our overall mental health. If we aren’t good enough at dealing with everyday stressors, we have poor mental health.
- Relationships
We all want to have healthy relationships with our loved ones, but sometimes, poor mental health comes between our relationships with others. People with strong mental health enjoy mental wellbeing that helps them to communicate effectively while navigating interpersonal dynamics.
- Decision Making
Our mental wellness allows us to make appropriate decisions, and this comes with good mental health. When individuals have good mental health, they are more capable of making sound decisions and choices while thinking clearly and making reasoned judgments.
- Quality of Life
Quality of life is a complex interplay of different aspects; therefore, we can’t specify which factor has the most impact on quality of life. But an individual’s mental health is associated with each of the factor that affects mental well-being, such as if a person is mentally unstable, he cannot be good in education and in his workplace settings.
Mental Health vs. Well-being: How to Improve Both
Lina Maria Aristizabal, one of the survivors of a brain injury and concussion, offers a roadmap for individuals navigating any kind of mental health and well-being issues. The book mainly underscores how to navigate the complex journey of post-concussion, but it also presents insights and tools from wellness science. Through evidence-based strategies, Lina Maria allows people with mental health issues to look forward while cultivating resilience, fostering connection, and building joy. Some of the key takeaways of the book include:
- Prioritizing Self-Care
Self-care isn’t about taking care of yourself physically, as mental health is equally important for the overall well-being of an individual. To maintain good mental health, one needs to adopt some simple self-care habits, such as:
- Regular exercise – it gives you a refreshing start, so that you can actively participate in your routine activities.
- Healthy eating – this factor is also significant if you want to maintain a healthy lifestyle.
- Practicing mindfulness – this can be achieved through meditation because the more you pay attention to the present moment, the more you feel mentally stable.
- Develop Resilience
Life is incomplete without stress, but how you bounce back from stressful situations to a stress-free life is what makes you powerful. Therefore, Lina Maria, in her book Raise Your Head Up, emphasizes the significance of cultivating resilience, especially after setbacks. This can be done by adopting a growth mindset, practicing gratitude, and learning from different situations and challenges instead of just avoiding them.
- Strengthen Social Support
When you are mentally stable and healthy, you enjoy your relationships even more as compared to a mentally ill person. It is stated that good mental health supports healthy relationships, so it’s better to make time for friends and family in order to boost your overall happiness.
- Seek Professional Help When Needed
All of us can reach a certain point in life where we need to seek help from a professional, as sometimes, matters can go beyond just following self-help strategies. It is suggested to seek therapy, counseling, and guidance if needed because it can make a world of difference.
- Read Books on Mental Health
Apart from the impact that mental health has on mental well-being, it is always preferable to seek support from mental health books. Such books are proven to be the best partners in terms of giving assistance and guidance on every issue one faces during their mental recovery period. Here, we suggest one of the best mental health books that will change your perspective on seeing the world: Raise Your Head Up, by Lina Maria Aristizabal. This book will enhance your ability to deal with your everyday matters, along with improving your confidence in yourself. To complement this guide, check out our latest blog: “Top 12 Books Redefining Mental Wellbeing in 2025”. This listicle blog lists down some of the best and empowering books on mental health that will help you out in understanding the difference between mental health and well-being, while making you more self-aware.
The Bottom Line
This blog aims to clarify the difference between mental health and mental well-being; however, it further simplifies the relationship between them and why these two aspects matter in our lives. Sometimes, in life, it is needed to take or your life, make informed decisions, and build a fulfilling, balanced existence. In such cases, we only need to follow what is best for our mental health, as it significantly affects our overall well-being.
Read our previous blog to Understanding Traumatic Brain Injury
