When we think about cancer, heart disease, or diabetes, we don’t wait years to treat them. We start before Stage 4—we begin with prevention. When people are in the first stage of those diseases and are beginning to show signs of symptoms like a persistent cough, high blood pressure, or high blood sugar, we try immediately to reverse these symptoms. We don’t ignore them. We don’t question the individual’s experiences. In fact, we develop a plan of action to reverse and sometimes stop the progression of the disease.
So why aren’t we doing the same for individuals who are dealing with potentially serious mental health conditions?
May is Mental Health Awareness month, and although we're nearing the end of the month, it is always the perfect time to raise awareness about mental health conditions and address the continued efforts needed to become a mentally healthy nation. Mental health conditions are defined as "conditions that impact a person's thinking, feeling or mood may affect and his or her ability to relate to others and function on a daily basis. Each person will have different experiences, even people with the same diagnosis" (NAMI). One in four American adults will have a diagnosable mental health condition in any given year and 50% of Americans will meet criteria for a diagnosable mental health condition sometime in their lifetime (MentalHealth.gov; Mental Health America). Mental health conditions are not only common, they are treatable. However, less than 20% of children and adolescents with diagnosable mental health conditions receive necessary treatment (MentalHealth.gov). Many people may not recognize the symptoms of mental health conditions and they may be unable to ask for help. Additionally, the stigma and silence that plagues mental health conditions prevents many from being able to recognize and acknowledge potential warning signs, let alone seek help and treatment. The warning signs of possible mental health conditions include:
- Depressed mood (sadness)
- Poor concentration
- Insomnia
- Fatigue
- Extreme mood swings
- Withdrawing or feeling isolated
- Talking about being a burden to others
- Feelings of guilt
- Thoughts of suicide
- Extreme irritability
- Agitation
- Increased risk-taking behavior
- Difficulty in organizing thoughts
- Emotional flatness
So what can YOU do to support your own mental wellness and create a culture that strives to support those who are experiencing mental health conditions?
- Talk. We all have mental health and we all experience difficulties staying mentally healthy sometimes, so being able to talk about it is important to us all. And you don't need to be an expert about mental health. Sometimes, just doing the little things, like asking someone how they are, is all it takes to let someone know you're still thinking about them and can make a big difference to how they're feeling. So talk with your family, friends, coworkers, and others about mental health. Need conversation starters? Text START to 89800 throughout the month of May 2015 for discussion questions through the national “Text, Talk, Act” program.
Stop and smell the roses...literally. Take a walk outside. Enjoy a nearby park or notice the hints of a changing season. Studies show that being surrounded by nature is a mood booster.- Switch up your exercise regimen. Try a dance class or a new sport. Exercising with other people can enhance its stress-reducing benefits. Even small additions of exercise throughout the day, like taking the stairs instead of the elevator or parking your car farther away, can decrease tension and improve sleep.
- Make a list of activities you enjoy. Set aside time each week to focus on yourself and what makes you happy. Remember, everyone deserves a break and we're often hardest on ourselves.
- Write down and share a few things that you are grateful for. Thinking about what you’re grateful for everyday can help to put into perspective all of the day-to-day stresses and worries that can overwhelm your mind.
- When your brain is bursting with worries, write them down. Release all those cooped-up worries and let the paper deal with them. By writing down your worries, you feel as though you’re emptying your brain, and you feel lighter and less tense.
- Take a few minutes to breathe deeply—in through your nose and out through your mouth. Try this technique: Pretend you’re taking a giant whiff of a bouquet of flowers, then pretend to blow out a candle.
- Treat people with mental health conditions with respect, compassion, and empathy. If you know someone with a mental health condition, be supportive and non-judgmental of them. Check in with them to see how they are doing and how you can help. It can be as simple as just being a friend. We all have mental health and we will all need support during tough times at some point in our lives.
Resources
- To help a friend who is struggling with mental health problems, express your concern and support and remind them that help is available and that mental health conditions can be treated. If they need help finding services, suggest that they call their family doctor, the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-274-TALK (8255), text "Hopeline" 839863 (The Center for Suicide Awareness), or call United Way's
2-1-1 directory to be connected with community resources. They can also visit findtreatment.samhsa.gov to find local treatment providers, free or low-cost services, payment/insurance options, languages available, and other information.
- If you’re concerned that you or a loved one may be experiencing a mental health condition, there are free and anonymous screenings available online at www.mentalhealthamerica.net/mental-health-screening-tools. Screening is an anonymous, free and private way to learn about your mental health and if you are showing warning signs of a mental condition. A screening only takes a few minutes, and after you are finished you will be given information about the next steps you should take based on the results. A screening is not a diagnosis, but it can be a helpful tool for starting a conversation with your doctor or a loved one about your mental health.
You can help end the silence and stigma around mental illness that discourages people from getting help. This is a month to make a difference in our communities. Let’s rethink how we talk about mental health and remember that there is no health without mental health.
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