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 5 – 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.
- Friends and family can be a great support system, but sometimes it is hard to ask for help. It is OK to not be OK. Reach out to family, friends, neighbors, a warm line, or an emergency emotional support line, like the 988 Lifeline, if you want to talk. Know that you are not alone, help is available, and healing can happen.
- Sometimes it is hard to know when you need extra help with your mental health. This infographic from the National Institute of Mental Health may help guide you if you don’t know where to start.
- Warm lines and peer support can be helpful for those who are managing stress. Anyone seeking support may call the Minnesota Warm Line for peer support connection at 844-739-0369, from 5 p.m. to 9 a.m. For more information, visit: Wellness in the Wood: Transforming Wellness into Reality. Mental Health Minnesota also offers a warm line. For more information, visit: Minnesota Warmline – Mental Health Minnesota.
- Talking with someone about your thoughts and feelings can save your life. The 988 Lifeline provides 24/7, free and confidential emotional support for people who need it. If you or someone you know needs support, call or text 988 or chat at 988Lifeline.org. 988 connects you with a trained counselor who can help.
Mental Health Awareness Ideas for Action: Initiate and spark conversation regarding mental health. Share what you do throughout moments in your day to take care of yourself. This can be taking a walk, playing with your pet, journaling, taking a nap, or talking with a friend. Let’s collectively promote these self-connection moments by sharing and using the hashtag #YouMatterMN.
Thank you for following along during May for Mental Health Awareness Month. If you or someone you know is in crisis, please call 911. Know that you are not alone, help is available, and healing can happen. Use the resources provided and please reach out to someone for support. You matter and you are loved.
Until next time, stay happy, healthy, and safe! ~Sally~