The following information is from the Minnesota Department of Health. Please follow us on Facebook or subscribe to our website, meinderslibrary.com, as I will be posting additional information and resources throughout the month.
It is May 1st and that means the start of Mental Health Awareness Month. While mental health is important to address year-round, Mental Health Awareness Month provides a dedicated time for people, organizations, and communities to join their voices to broadcast the message that mental health matters.
Let’s talk about mental health. We all have mental health. We all have tough days and weeks, and everyone manages their mental health every day. People with mental health conditions experience change in emotions, thinking, and/or behavior. Mental illness is treatable; it is not always a permanent state of being. The opportunities and resources we have available in our neighborhoods, schools, workplaces, and communities impact our mental health just like they impact our physical health. Mental health is not just about what we do as individuals. For example, when organization and policies support belonging and connectedness, they promote mental health.
Connecting with yourself. Self-connection, or self-care, is about finding practices that help you thrive, and it can include a range of things. It takes purposeful effort, but it can help you maintain or improve your daily mental well-being. Prioritizing time to connect to yourself doesn’t have to be time consuming or expensive, and it is important for you to find out what works best for you. Identify a few ways you’d like to prioritize your own well-being. Set aside the time you need to do it, give yourself permission to embrace it if it is hard for you to prioritize yourself, and work towards adding these moments regularly into your life.
Connecting with others. Social connection is a building block for mental health. People thrive when feeling socially connected to other people. We can all help promote belonging and support connection from individual actions to organizations and policies. Creating more welcoming communities and environments for everyone will support mental health and well-being. Find ways to connect with people you see in your community. Host a gathering, meet for coffee, send a handwritten note, or call someone. Get involved in community design, policies, and actions to influence social connections. For example, communities can prioritizes creating walking and gathering spaces, and shared-use spaces to promote social connection.
Connecting with nature. Nature is a natural stress buffer. Supporting connection to nature for individuals, families, and communities can support physical health, reduction in behavior problems, connectedness, belonging, improved attention, and reduced rates of violence. Connection to nature can help mitigate the impact of trauma. For example, we use more of our senses when in nature, which helps us be alert and present in the moment, rather than focused on day-to-day stressors and trauma. We don’t have to walk in the forest daily to get the benefits of nature. Noticing nature while in your neighborhood, spending time in your local park, or even viewing nature from inside can help access the many benefits of nature.
Connecting to resources and supports. When your mental health is off, it is important to find the help that is right for you. Where you go for help will depend on what is happening within your life. Often the best place to start is to talk with those that you already have connections with, including your friends and family, you primary care doctor, spiritual advisor, or local mental health organizations. Help can be found across many places and depends on what type of support that you may need. If the problems in your life are stopping you from functioning well or feeling good, professional help can make a big difference. Even if you’re not sure that you’d benefit from help, it can’t hurt to explore the possibility.
Minnesota’s Mental Health Awareness efforts are rooted in the belief that help is available and healing is possible. You matter. You are loved. You are not alone. Start a conversation and remember to check in on your friends and loved ones.
Until next time, stay happy, healthy, and safe! ~Sally~
