Test Your Knowledge of Mental Health and Stress

By: Ben Campbell | Published: Apr 09, 2024

One in every five U.S. adults lives with a mental health condition. And even more, in fact, practically everyone has experienced extreme stress at one point in their lives. 

Even though mental health struggles and stress are exceedingly common, many people can’t answer these 15 questions about them. 

1. What is anxiety?

  • A) A feeling of unease, such as worry or fear, that can be mild or severe
  • B) Mood swings from extreme joy to despair in one day
  • C) Persistent feelings of sadness and melancholy 
  • D) None of the above
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A woman sits alone in bed and looks out the window sadly

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Answer:

A feeling of unease, such as worry or fear, that can be mild or severe

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A woman looks extremely sad while looking out the window

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2. How many American adults have an anxiety disorder?

  • A) 10 million
  • B) 25 million
  • C) 40 million
  • D) 100 million
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A man in a wide brim hat looks over the coastline while draped in an American flag

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Answer:

40 million

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A blurry photograph of people walking around a crowded street

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3. Which of the following is not a sign of stress in the body?

  • A) Changes in appetite
  • B) Irritability 
  • C) Difficulty concentrating 
  • D) Heightened focus
A man looks extremely stressed while he holds his head in his hands

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Answer:

Heightened focus

A man works diligently on research with several books open in front of him

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4. Which two hormones are released when the body is stressed?

  • A) Serotonin and progesterone 
  • B) Adrenaline and cortisol 
  • C) Adrenaline and serotonin
  • D) Cortisol and estrogen
A digital illustration of the hormones in the body

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Answer:

Adrenaline and cortisol 

Depiction of the chemical makeup of adrenaline/Depiction of the chemical makeup of cortisol

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5. How does stress affect sleep?

  • A) It can prevent you from falling asleep
  • B) It can make you tired during the day
  • C) It can cause tossing and turning in your sleep
  • D) All of the above
A couple is sleeping soundly in bed on purple sheets

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Answer:

All of the above

A woman sits up in bed and holds her head in her hand, clearly upset

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6. Which of the following is not a way to reduce stress?

  • A) Drink a cup of coffee
  • B) Connect with loved ones
  • C) Exercise 
  • D) Take deep, slow breaths
A man at work is clearly overwhelmed as coworkers push paperwork, phones, and pencils at him

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Answer:

Drink a cup of coffee 

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7. Doctors say that parents should be concerned if their children’s behavior changes and remains consistently different for …

  • A) 24 hours
  • B) 1 week
  • C) 2 weeks
  • D) 1 month
A young boy sits on the side of the road in athletic gear, clearly sad

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Answer:

2 weeks

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8. What is postpartum depression?

  • A) Depression that occurs in children 2 to 5 years old
  • B) Depression that occurs in women after giving birth
  • C) Depression that occurs after a physical trauma 
  • D) None of the above
A sad person sitting by the window sill resting their head on their arms

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Answer:

Depression that occurs in women after giving birth

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9. What was bipolar disorder once called?

  • A) Manic depression
  • B) Day-to-day depression
  • C) Schizophrenia 
  • D) Bi-person depression
Illustration of mental health with a red person and blue person back to back, one brain is depicted by a mess of lines, the other, a human brain

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Answer:

Manic depression

Two paper faces staring at each other, one in black on a white surface, the other in white on a black surface

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10. The definition of schizophrenia is …

  • A) A mental condition involving a breakdown in the relation between thought, emotion, and behavior
  • B) A disorder characterized by the presence of two or more distinct personality states
  • C) A chronic condition including attention difficulty, hyperactivity, and impulsiveness
  • D) Schizophrenia is not a real condition
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Answer:

A mental condition involving a breakdown in the relation between thought, emotion, and behavior

A woman is clearly distressed, feeling herself all around her, while crying

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11. Members of the LGBTQ+ community are ____ more likely to experience a mental health condition such as depression or anxiety.

  • A) 3 times
  • B) 5 times
  • C) 10 times
  • D) They are not more likely
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Answer:

3 times

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12. More than one in four adults living with serious mental illness also struggles with …

  • A) Physical violence
  • B) Eating disorder
  • C) Unemployment
  • D) Substance abuse
A blurry photograph of a busy crosswalk with many people walking in every direction

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Answer:

Substance abuse

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13. What is the definition of the mental health condition known as bulimia?

  • A) An eating disorder characterized by regular, often secretive bouts of overeating followed by self-induced vomiting or purging
  • B) An eating disorder characterized by severely restricting one’s diet
  • C) An eating disorder characterized by exercising excessively 
  • D) An eating disorder characterized by overeating to the point of pain
A woman sits miserably in front of a large table full of food

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Answer:

An eating disorder characterized by regular, often secretive bouts of overeating followed by self-induced vomiting or purging

A woman sits on the floor of a bathroom while feeling nauseous

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14. Why do some people experience mental wellness issues and others don’t?

  • A) Life experiences 
  • B) Genetics
  • C) Physical injury
  • D) All of the above
A teen boy sits by himself, sad, while his friends have fun behind him

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Answer:

All of the above

A black and white photograph of a group of friends chatting in the background and a sad woman looking directly at the camera

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15. What is the difference between a therapist and a psychologist?

  • A) A therapist helps people with depression, whereas a psychologist helps people with anxiety
  • B) A therapist does not have a doctoral degree, whereas a psychologist does
  • C) A therapist is not qualified to care for people with mental wellness issues, whereas a psychologist can 
  • D) There is no difference
A therapist holds a notebook while speaking to a patient on their couch

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Answer:

A therapist does not have a doctoral degree, whereas a psychologist does

A person who recently graduated from medical school holding their graduation cap

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