Difference Between Behavioral and Mental Health

If you have been searching for mental health issues, you might have come across behavioral health. While both problems are considered the same, they have some key differences, including their treatment. 

Understanding the difference between behavioral health and mental health can help you find the proper care. In this article, we will share all the key points that make behavioral health different from mental health. 

Difference Between Behavioral Health and Mental Health

 

The term “behavioral health” was coined recently. Its definition has changed several times, but the treatments remained the same. There are several critical differences between behavioral health and mental health. 

Mental Health

Mental health is the state of well-being of an individual. A person with good mental health can be a productive member of society. Your biological and physical condition have a substantial impact on your mental health. 

Anxiety disorder, bipolar disorder, and depression are all examples of mental health disorders. They aren’t related to your behavior. These problems are directly connected with your brain. Hence, they are a part of your mental health. 

Behavioral Health

Behavioral health is entirely different from mental health. The problems associated with behavioral health aren’t related to your cognitive disabilities. Instead, they are a result of our unhealthy behavior. 

Problems like gambling, sex addiction, substance abuse, and eating disorders are prime examples of behavioral health. Although these problems manifest because of your unhealthy behavior, they have a particular impact on the brain. 

However, the impact isn’t significant enough to damage the function of your brain. Hence, they aren’t entirely attributed to mental health disorders. 

In some circumstances, behavioral health has a much significant impact on the brain. For instance, substance abuse might not trigger psychosis, but it does affect your cognitive abilities. Similarly, behavior health is also a subset of physical health. Problems such as sex addiction and eating disorders are part of physical health. 

However, mental health and behavioral health are broad terms inter-related to other health aspects. 

Similarities Between Behavioral Health and Mental Health

 

One can develop mental and behavioral health disorders simultaneously, and this often results from substance or alcohol abuse. Although these addictions aren’t related to your mental health, they become mental problems over time. 

Your brain stops functioning correctly without substance abuse or alcohol hit. Therefore, your behavioral and mental health are simultaneously disturbed. Collaborative care with a team of different health care professionals is adequate to combat cognitive and behavioral disorders. 

In some cases, mental health disorder triggers behavioral health problems. For example, a patient with an anxiety disorder has significant chances of adapting eating disorder or substance abuse. 

Similarly, maladaptive behaviors might harm your mental health. Most of the time, these problems are indirectly related to each other. For example, a person with alcohol or drug addiction might have a troubled marriage leading to depression and anxiety. 

Positive behaviors are a good defense against behavioral health disorders. This is because these behaviors change your habits and help you relax. Meditating in the morning or going to the gym is effective in fixing unhealthy behavior. However, if the patient has gone beyond the point of no return, only professional care can help. 

Get The Right Treatment 

To find a cure for your problems, you need to diagnose the issue. A proper diagnosis can lead to finding the root cause of the problem. This will help determine which areas of the patient should be addressed first. 

For instance, understanding the reasons behind substance abuse can highlight underlying mental problems such as anxiety. The best option is to work with a well-rounded team of professional health care providers. 

Once the problem is diagnosed, developing a care plan becomes easy and effective. Unless the problem is removed from the roots, the patient might relapse back to unhealthy habits. Therefore, an accurate diagnosis is crucial to getting the proper treatment. 

Treatment might include cognitive behavioral therapy, group sessions, intervention, and medical treatments. Mental health patients with a history of substance abuse are rarely prescribed medicinal treatment. Therefore, you shouldn’t expect your visit to a recovery center similar to seeing a general physician.

The Sands Treatment Center Can Provide Healthcare Services

The Sands Treatment Center is a world-class addiction recovery center with top-of-the-line medical staff and facilities. Nested in the heart of South Florida, The Sands recovery specialists are equipped with the knowledge and professional experience. Our IOP in Pompano Beach is highly effective for patients looking to live a sober life.