Behavioral Health vs. Mental Health: What’s the Difference?

Therapy session for mental health
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When it comes to getting help for emotional or psychological challenges, you might hear the terms behavioral health and mental health used interchangeably. While they’re closely connected, and often overlap, they aren’t exactly the same. Understanding the differences can help you or a loved one find the most effective treatment path. 

Recovery Cove offers comprehensive treatment services for behavioral health and mental health disorders. Most clients benefit from both types of treatment since mental and behavioral health are deeply intertwined. People with poor mental health tend to develop unhealthy coping behaviors, such as substance use, withdrawal from relationships, or changes in eating and sleeping patterns. 

Let’s learn more about the key differences between behavioral health and mental health and what you can expect from each type of care. 

What Is Mental Health?

Mental health refers to a person’s emotional, psychological, and cognitive well-being. Essentially, it’s about how we think, feel, and process life’s experiences. Common mental health conditions include depression, anxiety, PTSD, OCD, and schizophrenia. These disorders can affect mood, thinking patterns, and behavior. 

Depending on life events, stress levels, trauma, genetics, and chemical imbalances, mental health can fluctuate over time. This is why it’s important not to let your guard down. Self-care provides the foundation for healing, stability, and resilience. Once you find a treatment approach that works for you, you’ll want to stick with it to improve overall mental wellness. 

Signs of a potential mental health disorder include: 

  • Persistent sadness or hopelessness
  • Excessive worry or anxiety 
  • Changes in sleep patterns 
  • Changes in appetite or weight 
  • Mood swings or irritability 
  • Withdrawal from friends and family 
  • Low self-esteem or guilt 
  • Difficulty making decisions or concentrating 
  • Thoughts of self-harm or suicide 

What Is Behavioral Health?

Behavioral health is a broader term that includes mental health, but also looks at how our behaviors impact our overall well-being. It examines the connection between habits, lifestyle choices, and health outcomes. Behavioral health covers mental health conditions, substance use and addiction, eating disorders, self-harm, coping skills, and stress management. 

In other words, behavioral health looks at the “what we do” as much as the “how we feel.” For example, someone may experience anxiety (a mental health condition) and cope by drinking alcohol excessively (a behavioral health issue). Effective treatment often addresses both.

It’s possible you need support for behavioral health problems if you experience: 

  • Unhealthy coping behaviors like using drugs, alcohol, food, or gambling to numb stress or emotions 
  • Emotional or mental distress
  • Changes in daily functioning 
  • Strained relationships with friends, family, or coworkers 
  • Repeated patterns of behavior that lead to negative consequences 
  • Trouble following through on commitments 
  • Feeling “stuck” in unhealthy habits but unsure how to change 
  • Feeling like you’re not yourself lately 

Support group for mental health

Mental Health Treatment in Easton, PA

Mental health and behavioral health treatment often overlap, but they’re not the same. Treatment for mental health focuses on diagnosing and treating mental health conditions that affect mood, thinking, and emotional functioning.  

Common treatment approaches include psychotherapy (CBT, DBT, EMDR), medication management (antidepressants, mood stabilizers, antipsychotics), psychiatric evaluation and monitoring, and individual, group, or family counseling. The goal of mental health treatment is to help individuals understand and manage what’s happening in their mind. 

Behavioral Health Treatment in Easton, PA 

Behavioral health treatment addresses both mental health conditions and the behaviors that affect overall health. This type of treatment is broader and focuses on the connection between behaviors, emotions, and physical well-being. 

Treatment options for behavioral health include integrated care that combines therapy, lifestyle changes, and medication, dual diagnosis treatment, behavioral therapy, and psychoeducation and coping skills. The purpose of this type of treatment is to address how a person’s actions and habits impact their mental, emotional, and physical health and ways to improve them. 

Can I Participate in Both? 

Absolutely. In fact, combining the two treatments benefits people with mental health or substance use challenges by supporting their long-term recovery. Here’s why: 

  • Mental health and substance use often co-occur. Many people who use drugs or alcohol are doing so to cope with unresolved anxiety, depression, or trauma. Others develop mental health challenges because of substance use. 
  • Treating only one side doesn’t address the whole problem. For example, treating depression without addressing a drinking problem can lead to relapse. Or, treating addiction without exploring underlying trauma might not lead to lasting change. 
  • Integrated care leads to better outcomes. When mental health and behavioral health are treated together, people experience better emotional stability, stronger coping skills, and reduced risk of relapse. 

Addressing the Whole Person 

Knowing the difference helps you ask better questions when exploring treatment options. If you’re struggling with both emotional symptoms and harmful behaviors, it’s important to find a program—like the one at Recovery Cove—that understands and addresses both. This way, you can receive the comprehensive treatment you deserve to manage both disorders and live a healthy life. 

While each person and treatment plan is different, you can always expect a personalized and comprehensive plan that meets your needs. Here’s what that might include at Recovery Cove:

  • Individual therapy for thought patterns and emotional regulation
  • Group therapy to improve connection and build healthy communication
  • Medication management (when appropriate)
  • Behavioral therapy to change harmful habits and develop coping skills
  • Aftercare planning to support long-term success
  • Holistic therapies to encourage sobriety (mindfulness, yoga, music, and art) 

Behavioral and Mental Health Treatment in Lehigh Valley

The bottom line? Mental health is a vital part of behavioral health, but behavioral health includes the bigger picture. It’s about how your thoughts, emotions, and actions all work together to influence your overall well-being.

If you or someone you love is experiencing difficulties with their mental health, you’re not alone, and you don’t have to figure it out on your own. Reach out to Recovery Cove today at 484-549-COVE to learn more about our personalized, compassionate approach to behavioral health treatment.