Prevention

Prevention strategies can be effective in preventing, and reducing severity of some mental health conditions, such as depression and post-traumatic stress disorder.

Overview Promoting mental health and preventing mental and/or substance use disorders are fundamental to SAMHSA's mission to reduce the impact of behavioral health conditions in America's communities.

Mental illness - Comprehensive overview covers risk factors, symptoms and treatment for mental illness.

Many mental, emotional and behavioral disorders can be prevented before they begin and there is robust scientific base of evidence to support this conclusion, according to a report in the March issue of the American Psychiatric Association's journal Psychiatric Services.

PolicyThe evidence regarding the benefits of systematic prevention and promotion programs is strong, and Mental Health America believes that the promotion of mental health and the prevention of mental health and substance use conditions should be central to the nation's public health agenda[1,2].  Evidence based programs have been developed that will have positive effects.

NRC-IOM Committee on Prevention of Mental Disorders and Substance Abuse Among Children, Youth, and Young Adults: Research Advances and Promising Interventions.

The National Resource Center for Mental Health Promotion and Youth Violence Prevention offers resources and technical assistance to states, tribes, territories, and local communities to come together to prevent youth violence.

The terms mental health promotion and prevention have often been confused. Promotion is defined as intervening to optimize positive mental health by addressing determinants of positive mental health before a specific mental health problem has been identified, with the ultimate goal of improving the positive mental health of the population.

Learn more about preventing psychological disorders in the Boundless open textbook.

ZERO TO THREE is a national nonprofit organization that informs, trains and supports professionals, policymakers and parents in their efforts to improve the lives of infants and toddlers.