This month, we spotlight May’s Mental Health Month and recognize the importance of mental health and its impact on our personal and professional lives. This month is dedicated to prioritizing our well-being and promoting open conversations about mental health.

This year’s theme for Mental Health Month is “Where to Start: Mental Health in a Changing World”. Mental Health America gives us three areas to start: learn, act and advocate.

LEARN: 

To fully understand how the world around us affects mental health, it is important to know what factors are at play – some of which an individual can change, such as screen time, and others that may be outside of their control, like access to basic resources or current events. Social drivers of health include economic status, education, your neighborhood, social inclusion, and access to resources like nutritious food, health care, green space, and transportation. 

All of these factors can have a far-reaching impact on not just your physical health, but also your mental health. Loneliness, current events, technology, and social drivers are having an impact on the mental well-being of Americans, but there are protective measures that can prevent mental health conditions from developing or keep symptoms from becoming worse or severe.

ACT: 

There are many ways to take action – big and small – to improve mental health and increase resiliency, regardless of the situations you are dealing with. Knowing when to turn to friends, family, and coworkers when you are struggling with life’s challenges can help improve your mental health. Change is hard, but it’s unavoidable in life. It’s important to find coping skills that can help you process these changes, prioritize your mental well-being, and accept the situations in life that we can’t control. 

ADVOCATE: 

“Advocacy” doesn’t always mean talking to a government official or local leader. There are things everyone can do to improve the way mental health conditions are perceived and treated. Integrating mental health care into primary care, and providing mental health programs in schools, workplaces, and communities can improve the well-being of everyone. In an election year, it’s especially important to understand where candidates stand on mental health issues. We urge everyone to vote with mental health in mind.

Let’s make May a month of mental health awareness, support, and action. SouthEnd Psychiatry wants you to be well and to feel well in life. We invite you to start a conversation with us, on your terms, in-person or online and want you to know you’re not alone.

Southend Psychiatry 

Schedule your appointment today with one of our SouthEnd Psychiatry clinicians. Book your appointment online or call 1-800-632-7969 to get started today.