Mental Health Awareness Month May Be Ending But ....

 

Today Mental Health Awareness Month comes to an end but mental health does not stop being an issue just because the calendar says it is a new month. We need to always be talking about mental health. Talking about our own mental health. Talking about mental health resources. Talking about normalizing mental health.

Talking about mental health involves lots of layers such as talking about going to therapists and talking about how to navigate systems that often seem like they are intentionally designed not to be navigable if someone is struggling in any way. (So many poorly designed systems to navigate bah humbug)

I personally have the privilege of being in several communities where both mental health and the process of finding therapy is talked about openly. When someone is in search of affordable or low cost resources there are others who have gone before and can provide some direction/support/help in the search. 

Since everyone is open about mental health there is a sense that no one is alone and therefore asking for suggestions/ideas is common. Though I have to say even belonging to such communities there have been points where talking about metal health, thinking about therapy, etc. was still challenging for me. The process is challenging, worthwhile but challenging, so I recommend reaching out for support navigating when you need it.

This month may be coming to an end but everyone's mental health struggles will not magically go away at the strike of midnight (though that would be nice, if we only had mental health challenges during the month of May.) This month was a good reminder to check in with our own mental health to think about if we are thriving, if there are things that are holding us back, and what steps we need to take next in order to move forward into better mental health.

Here are some of my go-to videos when it comes to discussing mental health

And hearing other peoples mental health stories/journeys

Wentworth Miller's Oxford Speech (Managing depression and helping others struggling)

Wentworth Miller's Active Minds speech (Depression and Suicidal Thoughts)

Wil Wheaton on Generalized Anxiety Disorder, Chronic Depression, and Recovery