Mental health problems come in all shapes and sizes. Oftentimes, when we think about mental health problems, we think about depression and anxiety. However, there are many other mental health problems, as well. Each of these problems, in turn, consist of many different symptoms, which you can have to a greater or lesser extent. As with the flu, that can make you feel a little bit ill or very ill, you can experience mental health problems to a lesser or greater extent. It's not all or nothing. Sadness, anxiety, and anger are normal feelings that we all experience every now and then. However, for some people, these feelings are so intense, or they last so long, that it causes problems.

For example, they may no longer be able to make their schoolwork or hang out with their friends. In that case, we call it a disorder. Another word we often use is diagnosis.

Even for mental health professionals, it can be quite difficult to define the border between health and disease, or to determine which disorder someone suffers from. To clarify what we mean when we say someone is depressed or has an anxiety disorder, for instance, a group of mental health experts have written down a set of definitions. These definitions also help clinicians to determine which help is most suitable. This is the DSM, a manual in which the definitions of and agreements about mental health disorders are written. These agreements are not set in stone. Ideas about what's normal and abnormal can change over time. This is why the manual is continuously updated into newer versions.

Homosexuality, for instance, was once called a disorder in an early version of the manual. But nowadays, it is not. There are cultural differences, as well, when it comes to defining what is a disorder and what is not. In some countries, people believe that evil spirits can bewitch someone or take control over someone's body to do bad things. In the Western culture, these ideas are not considered normal, and people who believe such ideas might be diagnosed as psychotic. Thus, whether something is called a disorder is a matter of agreement. But actually, it's not all that important whether something is called a disorder, according to the official rules. In the end, it is about people and how to help them.