mental

Mental describes anything related to the mind or to cognitive functioning. It is used across psychology, neuroscience, philosophy, and everyday language to refer to processes such as thoughts, feelings, perceptions, memory, imagination, and will. The term encompasses both conscious experience and unconscious mental activity, and it is often discussed in relation to behavior and physiology.

Within psychology and cognitive science, mental phenomena include perception, attention, learning, memory, language, problem solving, reasoning, and decision making. Researchers study how mental processes develop, operate, and interact with brain activity, and how factors such as development, environment, and culture shape cognition and experience.

Mental health refers to a state of well-being in which a person can cope with normal stresses, work productively, form relationships, and contribute to their community. Mental illness or disorders are diagnosable conditions that affect mood, thinking, or behavior, such as depression, anxiety disorders, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, and others. Diagnoses are typically made by clinicians using standardized criteria, and treatment may involve psychotherapy, medication, lifestyle changes, and support services. Stigma and access to care are ongoing concerns in public health, influencing prevention, detection, and recovery.

Mental abilities are frequently involved in everyday tasks, such as mental arithmetic or recalling information, and people may use mental imagery to visualize scenes or plans. The term is also used in discussions of cognition, capacity, and policy related to mental health care and education.