Every year during the month of May, we celebrate Mental Health Awareness Month to educate people, create awareness, and reduce the stigma often linked to mental health problems.
Mental health issues are common, and about 1 in 5 Americans experience mental illness in a given year, and 1 in 5 children currently have or have had a mental illness. As such, mental illness can occur at any stage of a person’s life from early childhood through adolescence to adulthood.
By being aware of potential mental health issues, people learn to recognize the signs in themselves or their loved ones, so they are able to take the steps necessary toward living their best lives.
What is Mental Health?
Mental health affects the emotional, psychological, and social well-being of children and adults, especially how they think, feel, or act. The state of our mental health will also have some reactions to the overall health of a person. As an example, anxiety disorders have some serious side effects on the body, including rapid heart rate and chest pain, which can have repercussions on long-term heart health.
There is no set cause for suffering a mental health illness. However, some factors can contribute to mental health problems, such as a person’s genes or brain chemistry makeup. Life experiences also often play a role, especially when people suffer from trauma or past abuse of any kind. Then, there’s also the history of mental illness in a person’s family.
People may often experience different types of mental health illnesses or disorders, so it is important to recognize the early signs. That is the main role of Mental Health Awareness Month. By educating people on how to recognize the warning signs and creating awareness, they can take the first steps toward receiving care and treatment.
Why Mental Health Awareness?
Each year in May, there is a national movement for mental health awareness. The purpose is to create awareness, promote, educate, reduce the stigma linked to mental health, and improve care and treatment of mental health issues. It is a topic everyone should be knowledgeable about, so we can all maintain good mental health and recognize the warning signs in ourselves and others.
It is no surprise the past few years have affected our collective mental health as we faced the Coronavirus pandemic. People experienced stress and isolation that affected their overall health and social well-being. As such, the National Alliance on Mental Health Illness (NAMI) wants to amplify the “Together for Mental Health” message for 2022, while the Mental Health America message is “Back to Basics.”
By learning the basics of mental health and how people develop mental health conditions, we can stand together and advocate for mental health while supporting further research and development for the care and treatment of mental illnesses.
Mental Health Awareness – What Can You Do?
There are different ways to celebrate mental health awareness month on your own, at work, or within your community.
Here are a few ideas of what you can do to continue raising awareness.
Educate Yourself
Learning about mental health, early warning signs, and the care and treatments available will go a long way to recognizing it and finding the steps towards care, treatment, and recovery. Some ways to educate yourself are by reading books or listening to mental health podcasts.
You can also find and attend an event to support Mental Health Awareness Month. On social media, you can follow the #mentalhealthawareness and #together4mh hashtags to find out more.
Get Certified in Mental Health First Aid
The Mental Health First Aid from the National Council for Mental Well-Being offers certification instruction that teaches people how to help someone developing a mental health issue or those who are already facing mental health problems.
As part of the certification process, you will learn the skills needed to identify, understand, and even respond to a variety of situations, including panic attacks, suicidal thoughts or behaviors, and reactions due to traumatic events.
Volunteer or Donate to an Organization or Charity
There are leading mental health organizations and charities that accept volunteer work and donations. Some of them are the Mental Health America, the National Institute of Mental Health, the National Alliance on Mental Illness, the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, and the Child Mind Institute.
These mental health organizations are geared towards either a general or specific area of mental health. For those interested in helping with advocacy, policy, and research, you can check out the Treatment Advocacy Center, the National Council for Behavioral Health, the Brain and Behavior Research Foundation, the Trevor Project, and Active Minds, to name a few.
Take a Mental Health Test
Mental Health America offers an online screening test to take a mental health test to help you determine if you are experiencing any symptoms. Some test screenings include depression, anxiety, postpartum depression, eating disorder, bipolar, youth mental health, addiction, PTSD, psychosis, and a parent’s test (for your child’s mental health).
Following the screening test, you will receive information and resources to help you improve your own mental health.
Practice Self Care
Practicing self-care goes a long way to facing potential mental health issues. Self-care practices include living a healthy lifestyle by eating well, getting enough hours of sleep, exercising regularly, skincare, and avoiding drugs and alcohol.
People can also practice self-care by trying something new or having a hobby, such as reading, painting, or learning to play an instrument. It’s important to note that technology and social media will also have an impact on our mental health, so find ways to relax that won’t involve the use of technology. Examples include going on a walk or hike, practicing yoga, or doing meditation.
Improve Work-Life Balance
Work-life balance is not a new concept, yet, we face issues when trying to improve it. Some ideas that you can use to practice and improve work-life balance include taking short breaks during the day. Taking a walk around the office for a few minutes will improve concentration and stretch and move your body.
Many people also work through lunch or eat their food at their desks. You can make an effort and eat your lunch mindfully away from your desk with your coworkers or by yourself.
Remember to create and raise awareness during Mental Health Awareness Month to continue to increase the knowledge and put an end to the stigma linked to mental health problems.
If you or a loved one is experiencing mental health issues, you can get immediate help. Remember, if the situation is life-threatening, you should reach out to 911 for assistance. The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is also available 24/7 at 1-800-273-8255. You can also reach them through their Lifeline Chat.
Note that the Alvarado Parkway Institute prioritizes mental health all year long. If you’re struggling with your mental health, we are always here to help. Our mission is to help clients understand their illness and help them manage their symptoms with individualized, comprehensive care.
Remember, you don’t have to struggle alone. We can help and recovery is possible. Call our 24-hour crisis line at (619) 667-6125 at any time.
