About Mental Illness

Mental illness is a term that is used to describe any condition that affects the way you think, feel or act. Mental illness also includes addiction to substances including alcohol and other illicit drugs. 

Mental illness can be caused by a number of influences including stress or trauma, a biological vulnerability where your brain develops a certain way from birth or a combination of the two. 

When we talk about ‘severe and persistent’ mental illness we are talking about conditions that stop you from leading an ordinary life, this is also known as a psycho-social disability. It is often episodic making it challenging for those with lived experience to maintain a stable life.