Mental health is more than just the absence of mental disorders or disabilities. Mental illnesses, on the other hand, are conditions that affect a person's thinking, feeling, mood or behaviour. Mental illnesses increase the risk for many types of problems like stroke, type 2 diabetes and heart disease. Depending on various factors, a person's mental health can change over time, and it is crucial that there is greater sensitivity regarding the same. We ask the experts on coping mechanisms.