Even though it’s in the last couple of days, it’s still May and that means it’s Mental Health Awareness Month! Mental health encompasses many different health concerns such as depression, anxiety, ADHD, bipolar, schizophrenia, etc. Maybe you or a loved one suffers from one of those listed conditions and struggles with mental stability. However, the good news is that it’s treatable.
Mental health has garnered more awareness and lifted the veil of taboos surrounding it. Removing taboos is a difficult task and it comes with years of teaching and practicing acceptance. The more awareness there is, the more people will accept those who struggle with mental health and include them in the workforce, school, and communities. We need to keep the conversation open.
While you might be unaware of what causes mental health struggles, you don’t necessarily need to know through experience to be empathetic toward others who struggle with mental health. There are many ways you can support those who struggle with mental health stability. There are also a bunch of coping mechanisms that people who go through mental health valleys and mountains can put into place. Let’s look at a couple of these.
Mental Health Awareness: Movement
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Like I said before, May is mental health awareness month. The week in May that specifically focused on mental health awareness was May 13-19, 2024. The theme was “Movement: moving more for our mental health.” This, of course, focuses on exercise. It doesn’t have to be a laborious exercise that you dread doing, but a fun exercise like a walk in a beautiful park with paved walkways. Enjoy nature!
Personally, I love to either walk, swim, or do Zumba on the Nintendo Switch. It doesn’t have to be a long exercise either. Due to my own struggles with various health issues, I only have enough energy to do a one-mile walk or 15 minutes of Zumba per day. Sometimes when I struggle with my energy levels dipping too low and I am in the middle of a walk, I have to take a break and then resume later. There is no shame in that. Exercise is very important to mental health as the mind and body are connected.
Perhaps you have your own struggles with your health, and it affects your mental health, too. Know that there are people whom you can reach out to. You can always look up groups on Facebook for those who go through the same difficulties you do. Perhaps there’s some new treatment that someone knows about that helps you out. Whatever your reason for looking up the group, you are not alone. Seek support.
Mental Health Awareness: Coping Skills
There are many coping skills you can put to use in any mental health crisis. If you have had a triggering episode of depression or anxiety, for example, the coping skills you would put into place such as cleansing deep breathing or square breathing. Square breathing is simply breathing out for five seconds and then holding for five seconds and then breathing out for five seconds. You repeat this as if you’re looking at a square and following the side of it.
Another coping skill is art. Art can be very healing for some when they express their emotions on canvas or paper. Considered another form of art, writing is also healing. I was once told that writing can cause one to ruminate on negative memories, which can drudge up some pretty terrible feelings and put one in a bad mood. Writing is something that can help us open up to ourselves and reveal things that we keep hidden when used appropriately.
The most important thing is that you find something you enjoy or help someone in need when you’re depressed, sad, or anxious. For instance, I like to read a book when I’m depressed or make a card for someone. Or I like to draw, sit in the sunshine, and talk to a friend. Remember that in time these feelings will pass. So, if you’re depressed, eventually you won’t be, but the best way I find depression lifting is by doing something for someone else. That way I’m no longer fixated on myself.
Mental Health Awareness: Better Days Ahead
Mental health is no discriminator of persons. Depression can and does affect all ethnicities and sexes. But there is hope. I’m not a doctor or a pill pusher, but I do recognize the benefits for those who need medication to help alleviate symptoms and make life more manageable. We should not shame those for taking medication for the betterment of their mental health. Everyone has a right to the care they think is best for them to live a better quality of life.
Counseling coupled with medication is a great therapeutic intervention for mental health stability. Counseling has been something I’ve gone to for many years. It has given me many coping skills, knowledge about boundaries, healthy relationships, and a list of emotions to help me sort out what I’m feeling; the list just goes on and on. All of this knowledge has helped me to better express myself, set healthy boundaries, and surround myself with positive influences. I have mental health stability when I combine what I have learned.
I used to work as a case manager for those who had trouble with schizophrenia and other health issues. The clients often did not always take their medication and what would happen is that they would wind back up on the streets or in jail where they didn’t belong. They belonged in a hospital because they were sick. A case manager’s job is to follow up with these adults and ask if they are doing everything they can to take care of themselves while they are well. If you struggle with mental health stability, do what you can when you’re in your right mind to maintain wellness.
Please, seek help before you get to that point. Mental stability is a precious commodity. Hang in there: There are better days ahead. Call 988 if you or a loved one needs assistance.
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