mental health awareness month

May is mental health awareness month! So let’s get some awareness shall we? According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) “1 in 5 U.S. adults experience mental illness each year, 1 in 20 U.S. adults experience serious mental illness each year, 1 in 6 U.S. youth aged 6-17 experience a mental health disorder each year, 50% of all lifetime mental illness begins by age 14, and 75% by age 24, and suicide is the 2nd leading cause of death among people aged 10-34. Are you alarmed yet?  Mental health matters and if you are struggling, you are not alone.

Thankfully, mental health treatment has become less stigmatized in recent years. However, in many communities including BIPOC, religious, and rural, mental health issues and treatment for such may still be a taboo topic. If you or a loved one seeks treatment for a mental health issue, you are brave, not weak. It is so challenging to struggle with a mental health issue, and even more challenging to struggle alone. A therapist (counselor, social worker, psychologist, psychiatrist) can help you sort through your thoughts and feelings. Working with a professional can empower you to make beneficial choices in your life toward greater levels of health.

Along with talk therapy there are many other ways that you can find mental relief. Check out this following list:

• get out in nature
• exercise
• talk with trusted friends
• engage in spiritual practices
• practice deep breathing
• practice meditation
• consider eastern healing modalities
• consider homeopathic or traditional medication

Remember, you are not alone if you are struggling with a mental health issue!