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 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.
Week 3 – 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.
- Take the Surgeon General’s 5-for-5 Connection Challenge to strengthen relationships and connections. Simple actions can help you feel more connected than ever.
- Helping others creates opportunity for connection and sense of purpose. Volunteering doesn’t just support a cause; it can help support your mental well-being. Find a volunteer opportunity that is meaningful to you as a way to support your mental health. Search for volunteer matching websites, check with your local community center, or your faith community to find a volunteer opportunity that is right for you.
- Check in on your friends and family. Offering support is one of the best things that we can do to get them through difficult times. However, it can sometimes feel uncomfortable, daunting, or just plain awkward. The Roadmap to Friends Supporting Friends gives ideas on what support can look like, how to offer support, and where to begin.
- Community design, policies, and actions to influence social connections, are key building blocks for supporting mental well-being. See the Action Guide for Building Socially Connected Communities to help you host a community conversation.
I hope you continue to follow along this month as I post weekly key messages. Be the one to start a conversation and engage with others about mental health. Stay tuned for next week as I discuss Connecting With Nature.
Until next time, stay happy, healthy, and safe! ~Sally~