It is not the absence of illness. For a person diagnosed with a chronic illness; it may simply mean that he is able to perform the activities of daily life and even sometimes have a career. Health is also a continuous balance between body and mind. Mental and physical health go hand in hand. You can have excellent physical health but suffer from a debilitating mental illness. A mental illness can be as serious as a physical illness. Once this continuous cycle is interrupted, it becomes difficult for the person to maintain a normal level.