Supporting Mental Health

May is Mental Health Awareness Month, and this year’s theme is More Than Enough. We live in a world dominated by social media showing curated lives of perfect families, love lives and job promotions.  Comparing our lives to others can be damaging to our mental health, and building lives full of connection and acceptance is an important way to buffer that. The National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) selected a theme that encourages us all to reflect on the “inherent value we each hold.” Being there for others and recognizing our own self-worth is an important step toward mental wellness.

No matter what, you are inherently worthy of more than enough life, love and healing. Showing up, just as you are, for yourself and the people around you is more than enough.

National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI)

Supportive friendships, strong social connections and positive self-talk can contribute to good mental health. However, mental health interventions such as medication and therapy can also be a crucial aspect of mental health care. Fortunately, access to treatment has improved in recent decades as social stigma and financial burdens are reduced. For more than 20 years, former First Lady Roslyn Carter has brought together top minds in mental health and supported journalistic coverage on the topic through the Carter Center for Mental Health. 

Managing mental health requires financial resources, yet it wasn’t until 2014 that mental health treatment became a reimbursable health expense, thanks to the bipartisan, “Excellence in Mental Health and Addiction Treatment Act.” And last October, Certified Community Behavior Health Clinics (CCBHCs) received a financial boost with $300Million in additional federal funding, helping states better tackle the mental health crisis.

It is always important to pay attention to mental health issues for ourselves and our friends and family. We encourage you to do what you can to engage in dialogue about this issue. Inspired by the tragic deaths by suicide of two parents in Sara’s town of Hingham, MA, a group of women started an organization dedicated to finding ways to support women in the community. Their group, Mom2Mom (MSM) is working to help women in their community face the pressures they may feel to “keep up appearances” while balancing multiple identities and responsibilities, parenting among those.

Talking about mental health helps remove any stigma left over from previous generations. Research indicates that young people, while suffering from mental health issues in greater numbers than generations past, are also the most understanding and accepting of help. As a University of California Berkeley article noted, “these conditions are becoming normalized—and (sic) youth are becoming more open and compassionate with one another.” Positive role modeling we can all emulate.

Resources:

If you or someone you know is struggling or in crisis, help is available. Call or text 988 or chat 988lifeline.org.

Anyone seeking treatment for mental health or substance use issues should call SAMHSA’s National Helpline at 800-662-HELP (4357) or visit findtreatment.samhsa.gov.