Mental health carries a very big stigma. Some people don't believe in its existence. Some people think that everyone with a mental health disorder is crazy or psychotic. But mental health disorders are very real and affect more people than anyone realizes.

So I interviewed a licensed psychotherapist, who requested anonymity, to clear up the misconceptions of mental health.

Q: Clarify what illnesses are considered to fall under mental health.

A: Depression, anxiety, obsessive-compulsive disorder, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, personality disorder, Post-traumatic stress disorder... There are much more- an entire book called the DSM lists them all.

Q: What are the most prevalent disorders today?

A: Depressive and anxiety disorders. This is probably because there is a predisposition to these however it is probably due more to their environment. There are a lot of stressors in life. Roughly 40 million adults in the U.S suffer from some sort of depression or anxiety disorder. It's definitely on the rise within the college population. Some studies have suggested that almost half of students report high anxiety, among those, many are on medication for these disorders.

Q: Have medications been proven effective?

A: Most scientific evidence suggests that medication can benefit those with the disorder. But many do not need medication. On average, about one fourth of college students who reported anxiety are taking some sort of medication to treat it.

Q: Why is there a stigma?

A: Despite how prevalent depression and anxiety is, still today some individuals feel uncomfortable revealing their condition. Still, some people view mental health illnesses differently than physical illnesses. You can see a physical or medical illness. You can't see mental illness so often people don't believe in its existence. Some believe that you can get over it without needing help, unlike many medical illnesses. Sometimes people don't believe the seriousness of mental health illnesses given that people still function.

Q: Can it be treated successfully?

A: Yes, fortunately, there are several successful methods of treatment including psychotherapy, cognitive behavioral treatment which teaches how to think differently, and relaxation exercises. So despite it being on the rise, treatment has become much better.