Promoting and protecting mental health as flourishing: a complementary strategy for improving national mental health.

Abstract in brief

• This article discusses the concept of mental health as a spectrum, emphasizing that true mental well-being—called flourishing—leads to better health, work productivity, and resilience, with mentally healthy adults experiencing fewer physical health issues and higher social functioning.
• Despite the benefits of flourishing, only about 20% of adults are considered to be flourishing, highlighting the need for a nationwide program focused on promoting mental health alongside efforts to prevent and treat mental illness.
• The findings also show a racial disparity where Black individuals have a slight advantage in flourishing, and there is no gender difference in rates of mental health flourishing among White adults.]