What is Mental Health? (Mental Health Awareness Month: May 2023)
Mental health awareness is the ongoing effort to reduce the stigma around mental illnesses by sharing our experiences and resources with each other. (Source)
A mental illness is a condition that affects your emotions and behaviors. These conditions are caused by genetics, brain chemistry, brain structure, trauma, and other medical conditions that impact your brain. Having a mental illness makes it difficult to partake in your normal daily routine and activities.
The two most common health conditions are:
Anxiety disorder: This includes post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), panic disorder/attacks, and generalized anxiety disorder. These are characterized by having excessive fear, worry, dread, and uneasiness.
Mood disorder: This includes depression and bipolar disorder. These are characterized by having difficulty regulating one’s mood.
Read: A Proclamation on National Mental Health Awareness Month, 2023 (from The White House)
Here are a few ways you can take care of yourself to be proactive with your mental health:
Disconnect. Make sure you set aside time in your day to disconnect and not use your phone or computer. Social media breaks, specifically, are restorative and can improve your mood.
Move. You don’t need to have a strict workout routine or be hard on yourself. Just find ways to move each day.
Eat foods that fuel you. Make sure to incorporate enough fresh fruits and vegetables in your diet so that when you do eat high calorie sugary foods, your body is already fueled by the nutrients and energy that you need.
Develop a hobby. Find something you love to do and do it! Take up DIY house projects, join a book club, take a photography class, practice yoga, or learn how to garden.
Have fun. Dance around your kitchen, listen to music or podcasts, go out with friends, enjoy nature.
Reflect. Start a journal, speak with a licensed therapist, call a friend. Reflection allows you to appreciate your positive experiences and learn from your challenging experiences.
Don’t rely on outside sources for your happiness.
Make sure you’re not constantly distracting yourself and that you learn to find comfort in being alone. Learn more about what you like to do and do more of that. At the end of the day, you are the person you have to live with forever. Do not rely on alcohol or drugs to deal with your feelings. Do not partake in dangerous activities if you feel that you are not stable. It’s important to find happiness from within yourself.
Remember: Have compassion for yourself and others. Know that you are not alone.
Crisis Help
Examples of a mental health crisis include (but are not limited to): suicide risk, rapid mood swings, abusive behavior, paranoia, and loss of touch with reality.
If you or someone you know is experiencing a mental health crisis, please reach out for help immediately.
Call 911: If you or someone you know is in immediate danger, call 911.
Call 988: This is the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline.
Crisis Text Line: Get 24/7 help from the Crisis Text Line .
PA Crisis Hotlines: If you are in PA, Find a crisis line in your county.
This information is intended for information purposes only. Any reader understands that Apex Benefit Group is not providing legal advice, tax advice, or professional services. This article serves to offer practical information regarding the subject matter and is not a comprehensive resource.
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