May and Mental Health Awareness Month are nearly over! I sincerely hope you took the opportunity to learn more about mental health this month, whether through our services or the many other wonderful resources available out there.
While May is a month where there’s a focus on mental health, we encourage you to seek mental health information at any time. There is much to know and learn, and many ways to support your own mental health as well as the mental health of people you care about.
We certainly aren’t slowing down! Our virtual Wellness Recovery Action Plan courses in June are open to register here. We will continue to offer a weekly virtual support group for anxiety and depression, which you can learn more about here.
We are also excited to continue to educate our community on mental health by offering affordable and high quality trainings.
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May 2-8: Barriers to Mental Health: Working Past Stigma and Shame
When you Google “stigma definition,” the definition you will find is something like, “a mark of disgrace associated with a particular circumstance, quality, or person” (Oxford Languages). For most of human history, mental illness has been viewed as a “mark of disgrace.” And for a long time, people marked with this “disgrace” have lived in shame, fear, and unhappiness.
May 9-15: Mental Health Challenges: More Common than you Think
Pop quiz! What’s more common than coronary heart disease, the leading cause of death in America?
The answer? Mental health conditions, which impact an estimated 53 million adults in America (National Institute on Mental Health, Mental Illness), compared to the 18 million adults living with heart disease (Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Heart Disease Facts).
May 16-22: Take Care of You: Coping with Life’s Ups and Downs
We have more control of our mental health than many of us realize.
Making good and regular use of self-care tools will help you better manage your stress and emotions. Many of the most effective tools contain a good deal of common sense.
Don’t be afraid to start small. Doing SOMETHING for your mental health is better than doing absolutely nothing.
May 23-29: Supporting the Mental Health of Others: The Unseen Sacrifice
Non-professional caregivers—family members, friends—are important links in a person’s care network. In fact, there are 60 million Americans providing unpaid care to a family member, friend, or neighbor who has a physical or mental illness.
Whether you are new to caregiving or have lots of experience under your belt, here are some important tips to keep in mind so you can care for your loved one without sacrificing yourself.
Resources
The National Alliance for Mental Illness (NAMI) is an excellent resource for caregivers. NAMI shares all kinds of information about caregiving, from taking care of yourself to navigating a mental health crisis. You can explore NAMI’s information here.
If you feel like you might need help but you’re not sure, National Mental Health America offers free online screenings. These screenings are free, anonymous, and provide instant results. You can then take those results to your doctor to see what can help you.
You can talk to a counselor, 24/7, for free through Be Well Indiana. Dial 211, enter your zip code, and press 3 on your number pad.
If you need help finding a professional, you can search here by zip code to find a therapist near you.
You can also discover service providers near you at LookUp Indiana.
Thank You to Our Sponsors
Thank you, once again, to Bowen Center, L.I.F.E. Inc, and 3Rivers Federal Credit Union for their generous sponsorships of Mental Health Awareness Month efforts.