Happy Tuesday!
May is Mental Health Awareness Month! I had the privilege of becoming a Mental Health First Aid Instructor. This experience has provided increased insight as well as prompted personal and professional reflection.
Mental health has no boundaries. Anyone can experience a mental health challenge. For this reason, I encourage offering one another GRACE. It is much easier said than done, however it can be done.
Mental health is a term used to describe a change in a person's thoughts, feelings, and behavior. "A mental disorder or mental illness is a diagnosable illness that affects a person's thinking, emotional state and behavior and disrupts the person's ability to work or carry out other daily activities and engage in satisfying personal relationships." On the other hand, "a mental health problem is a broader term that includes both mental disorders and symptoms of mental disorders that may not be severe enough to warrant the diagnosis of a mental disorder."
Mental disorders are not uncommon. 1 in 5 people will experience a mental disorder. Nonetheless, recovery is possible (read that again)!
As we prepare to end this month, I encourage you to increase your awareness of warning signs that a mental health challenge may be developing. Shift the language used to describe individuals experiencing mental health challenges. I encourage using hope-giving statements wrapped in compassion. Also, take time to explore the way culture, stigma, trauma and other factors impact the lens through which you view mental health.
Remember: "No one can do everything, but everyone can do something." #TaketheMoment2024
Feel free to share with a friend!
Take time, talk soon!
Thanks!
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