What is “mental health,” and how does it relate to thriving? Understood.org’s Expertise and Behavioral Health Innovation team explains
May 28, 2026
The Expertise and Behavioral Health Innovation team includes Sarah Greenberg, MA, MEd; Ann M. Bennett, PhD; and Andrew Kahn, PsyD.
Since 1949, Mental Health America has used the month of May to promote mental wellness across the United States. This year’s theme is “More Good Days, Together.”
“More Good Days, Together” is something we think that everyone wants to strive for. But what does this mean in the context of mental health? And what does it mean for people who learn and think differently?
What is mental health?
According to the World Health Organization, mental health is “a state of mental well-being that enables people to cope with the stresses of life, realize their abilities, learn and work well, and contribute to their community.”
It means how we meet the everyday challenges of life and the effect that has on how we think, feel, and act.
Just like thriving, this isn’t “all or nothing.” We all experience different states of well-being that can shift based on how our brains interpret the world around us.
Our brains are constantly reacting to biological, psychological, and environmental stimuli. And our brains also consider both the positive and negative experiences we’ve encountered throughout life.
Why mental health matters to Understood
Having a mental health condition along with learning and thinking differences is the norm, not the exception.
According to the CDC, approximately 7 million children between the ages of 3 and 17 years old have, at some point in their childhood, been diagnosed with ADHD. This represents 11.4% of the children in the United States in this age range. The most common co-occurrences for children with ADHD are anxiety (39%) and depression (19%).
Organizations like Understood that are working in the behavioral health space must be conscious of this co-occurrence. People come to Understood for a variety of reasons that may all be interconnected. In other words, they’re not leaving their anxiety behind while seeking support for ADHD.
The connection between behavior change and mental health
Behavior change, or small, intentional shifts in how you think, feel, or act, can affect your overall mental health and, ultimately, your ability to thrive.
You can think of behavior change and mental health as a continuous feedback loop. Each influences the other.
For example, someone experiencing issues with mood regulation may have less motivation or energy to do things that support their well-being. They may struggle to reach out to a friend, try a new coping strategy, or ask for help.
Sending a text to a friend or using a coping strategy may not solve everything. But it could shift mood, build confidence, or make the next step feel more possible. Over time, this supports positive mental health.
Like behavior change itself, positive mental health is a journey that doesn’t follow a straight line. It may take several small shifts in behavior to experience change that noticeably boosts thriving.
More good days, together
How can we have more good days together? Having a good day isn’t just about having good things happen to you. It’s also about how you use the tools, support, relationships, and environments that help you respond to challenges. Because challenges arise for all of us.
More good days don’t usually come from one big breakthrough. More often, they’re built through small shifts over time. If you have learning and thinking differences, you may have come across lots of guidance for boosting mental health that doesn’t seem to fit you. SPARC is one alternate model that can provide guidance on the small behavior changes that can lead to more good days.
A few ways to support positive mental health:
Understanding yourself better (self-concept)
Setting small goals (purpose and meaning)
Trying a new strategy (autonomy)
Feeling more connected (relationships)
Gaining confidence in what you’re capable of (capacity)
Over time, these small changes can add up. That helps create more good days and moves people closer to thriving.
Let’s thrive together
Interested in learning more about mental and behavioral health or how a thriving model could reshape your program design and evaluation? Want to join us in continuing to get the 70 million people who learn and think differently in the U.S. on a path to thriving?
We’d welcome the conversation. We’re always looking to collaborate and partner with others on our research and beyond. Reach out to our team at evaluation@understood.org to learn more.
