General public definition
- Wellness is currently not listed as a diagnosis in the DSM-5-TR or ICD-11.
- There is no consensus on a definition of wellness at this time. Some definitions of wellness overlap with definitions of well-being.
- The First Nations Mental Wellness Continuum Framework (FNMWCF) defines mental wellness as a balance of the “mental, physical, spiritual, and emotional.”75 In this framework, mental wellness is enriched when a person has purpose, hope for their future, a sense of belonging, and a sense of meaning.
Academic definition
- Wellness is currently not listed as a diagnosis in either the DSM-5-TR or ICD-11.
- There is no consensus on a definition at this time.
- The First Nations Mental Wellness Continuum Framework (FNMWCF) defines mental wellness as a balance of the “mental, physical, spiritual, and emotional.”75 This balance is enriched when individuals have “purpose in their daily lives whether it is through education, employment, care-giving activities, or cultural ways of being and doing; hope for their future and those of their families that is grounded in a sense of identity, unique Indigenous values, and having a belief in spirit; a sense of belonging and connectedness within their families, to community, and to culture; and finally a sense of meaning and an understanding of how their lives and those of their families and communities are part of creation and a rich history.”75
- There is some overlap between the terms, wellness, health, and well-being, and at times they are used interchangeably.
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