Happy Mental Health Awareness Month! Okay, so I’m sure you’re wondering if it’s appropriate to wish someone a happy day to celebrate this awareness month. If you ask me, the attitude surrounding mental health seriously stigmatizes those who suffer and discourages people from being upfront and honest about their struggles. The world could use a little more celebration of those who put themselves and their struggles out there. Mental health is just like physical health in that there is constant maintenance and self care habits required to keep us all feeling our best.
Observe Each May
Every May, we celebrate this awareness month by fighting stigma, and encouraging screenings or mental health assessments. It’s also a time to educate the community about the importance of making one’s mental health a priority. This can have a profound impact on our lives.
Mental Health Month was established in 1949 and has fought to educate the public about warning signs, symptoms, risk factors, and consequences of poor mental health. The month highlights the correlation between mental health and mental illnesses. Mental illness includes depression, bipolar disorder and schizophrenia. Education includes providing information about coping mechanisms and strategies for attaining and maintaining mental wellness.
People tend to assume that they know what the term mental health means, but haven’t really given it a lot of thought. This term seems pretty self-explanatory, but there’s a lot more involved than you may realize. People also tend to assume that if they don’t suffer from depression or if they are successful and well liked, they must be mentally healthy. Mental health is a combination of our psychological (thoughts), emotional (feelings), and social well being. Meaningful relationships and interactions with others contribute to our self-worth and self-esteem. All three factors are essential in achieving mental wellness.
Mental Health Statistics
Mental health affects the way we react to stress, choices we make, our behavior and actions, and our relationships with others. Wellness issues affect about one in five American adults, which means it’s very common. But, people don’t realize this statistic because so many people suffer in silence. People suffering often feel their struggle is a sign of weakness or are too embarrassed to ask for help. Some people think that mental health is private and should not be discussed in public.
People may not know how to seek medical help or are unable to find adequate healthcare. Others feel ashamed. Some feel scared of judgment. As a result, this is why people suffer in silence, and suffer alone. The stigma surrounding these issues perpetuates the isolation experienced by those who are suffering. It also prevents them from getting the help they need, and DESERVE. Also, it makes us think that something is wrong with us, and everyone else is fine. It makes us feel different than everyone else, when we are not. In fact, statistically speaking, experiencing mental health issues makes us more similar to others than not.
More Mental Health Statistics
One in ten teens has experienced a stage of severe depression. One in 25 Americans lives with a serious mental illness. Half of all Americans who experience major depressive periods don’t seek medical help. The tenth leading cause of death in the United States is suicide, and men are 3.5 times more likely to commit suicide than women. We share these statistics to highlight how essential it is for us to eliminate the stigma that surrounds mental wellness issues. It is time to embrace healthy and accepting attitudes in order to prevent unnecessary and undeserved suffering.>/p>
Mental health is influenced by many factors. Some people are predisposed to issues due to biological circumstances. This includes things such as hereditary predisposition, physical health problems like chronic or acute illness, brain chemistry, or injury. There are also environmental factors that contribute to issues including abuse or experiencing trauma. The point is, experiencing these issues is not your fault, and it is not a failure. Mental health is a complicated recipe and any number of things can influence the outcome.
Treatment for Mental Health Issues
Treatment for these types of issues can drastically reduce symptoms. Many people who seek help from a medical professional even recover completely. Recovery means that people report significant or complete improvement of negative thoughts or feelings. They are able to go back to leading fulfilling lives, and maintain and develop healthy, meaningful relationships.
There are more treatment options available now than ever before, especially on the Internet. Now apps for your phone enable you to speak with a professional at all hours of the day. That is, whenever you need them. Therapy and support groups have been found to significantly help those who are struggling. There is also an arsenal of medications designed specifically for each different kind of mental health issue. In most cases, a combination of talk therapy and medications does help.
Resources
If you are looking for resources that can assist you in finding or getting help, start here:
SAMHSA, which stands for Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, has a hotline that will connect you with treatment providers in your area, or with information about mental wellness, in general. The hotline number is 1-877-726-4727 (or 1-877-SAMHSA7, if that’s easier for you to remember.) The hotline is open Monday – Friday, 8am-8pm.
For emergency services, you can call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline. The operators are trained crisis workers, and the conversation is confidential. The hotline is open 24 hours a day, every day. They can also refer you to a nearby treatment provider. If you or someone you know is currently struggling with mental health, please save the number to your phone in case of an emergency. Hotline number is 1-800-273-8255 (or 1-800-273-TALK). The new number is 988.
All in all, There is absolutely zero shame in needing to reach out for help! You wouldn’t be ashamed to need a cast if you broke your arm, and this is no different. Health is health is health, no matter the source of the issue.
Lime green awareness ribbons are used to raise awareness for many categories. A few of the causes represented by lime green awareness ribbons are childhood, maternal, and minority mental health and mental health in a general sense. Lime green awareness ribbons are so colorful that they stand out on a jacket, calling attention to this important cause.
To order a customizable lime green awareness ribbon, visit us.