Mental Health Awareness Month
May is a month that we traditionally begin to focus on spring and begin preparing for the start to a busy summer season. Often people aren’t aware that May is also National Mental Health Awareness Month, so why not take some time to consider how you are doing mentally?
May reminds us that it is okay to slow down, take care of ourselves and get our mental health back on track for our busy season.
A few initial signs that a mental health check-up may be needed is a change in sleep patterns and feelings of irritability. Often times, having thoughts that you cannot get out of your head or a lack of motivation to get out of bed also become a struggle. If you are experiencing these signs, it is okay to reach out to talk to someone or ask for help.
The National Alliance of Mental Illness (NAMI) is a great place to start when wanting to know more about mental health and what someone can do. They have information for not only individuals, but how to get help as a family as well.
NAMI has been working hard to break the stigma of mental illness and to show others that this is something that needs to be normalized. The main message that they have this year is “More Than Enough” and they want people to know that if all they did was wake up today, that’s more than enough. Your worth is not measured by your productivity. You deserve love and healing just as you are. You are #MoreThanEnough.
Here are some current statistics when it comes to mental health in the United States:
· 21% of adults are experiencing a mental illness.
· 15% of adults had a substance use disorder in the past year. 93.5% did not receive treatment.
· 4.8% of adults reporting serious thoughts of suicide- over 12.1 million adults.
· 55% of adults with a mental illness receive no treatment- over 28 million individuals.
· In the U.S., there are 350 individuals for every one mental health provider.
These statistics may be scary or overwhelming, but know that this is exactly why May is devoted to increasing awareness of mental health.
If you would like to have a conversation, know that TEAM is here to support you in making changes to better your mental health and overall well-being. Every counselor at TEAM is ready to talk about where to start with mental health concerns and to also carry forward NAMI’s message. You are not alone.
Resources:
https://www.nami.org/Get-Involved/Awareness-Events/Mental-Health-Awareness-Month
https://www.mhanational.org/issues/state-mental-health-america
