Together for Mental Health. #together4MH
May is mental health awareness month. It is great to have a month spotlighting the importance of mental health: breaking stigma and bringing support. As therapists we are committed to this work year round to break stigma, bring healing and raise awareness. Often times we do not pay attention to our mental health until something goes wrong and our lives are not working the way they once were. We experience burnout, anxiety, depression, or something feels off. We have wrongly believed in the past that mental health is something that “will just get better on it’s own” or “I can handle this on my own.”
For 2022’s Mental Health Awareness Month, The National Alliance on Mental Health (NAMI) has named this years theme “Together for Mental Health.” This more than any other time are we experiencing a deep need for connection and togetherness.
We need to create a world in which caring for our mental health is as important as caring for our physical bodies. We know what happens when we stop caring for our bodies, they begin to break down and disease takes root. This is also true with our mental health. When we ignore the signs our body is telling us, we do not get better. We get worse. We need one another to stay healthy. We need people to listen to us in a caring and non-judgemental way, we need others to weigh in on our experiences. Mental health is the foundation for functioning, for resilence, self-esteem, communication, relationships with both self and others.
Washington State Mental Health (according to the Department of Health):
3 in 10 adults (in the US) have reported an increase in depression and anxiety since 2020.
1 in 8 adults report having poor mental health.
1 in 3 10th graders report strongly depressive feelings.
33.5% of adults in Washington reported symptoms of anxiety and/or depression
In 2019 Suicide was the second leading cause of death among adolescents (aged 12-17) in the U.S.
In the past couple of years mental health needs have skyrocketed. Our relationships have suffered, we have either been in too much contact or not enough. Issues that have once been swept under are now taking over. Maybe you need a third party to walk with you through the rough spots of the relationship and help create healthy communication.
You do not have to walk through this alone.
Our children and adolescents are facing uncertainty and still processing what the past 2 years have been. They are experiencing higher rates of anxiety, depression, and uncertainty.
Is your anxiety showing up when you are not in an anxious situation, but your body is responding with anxiety that doesn’t fit the situation? Do you feel sad more than you feel happy? Have you lost the “why” to your life, relationship and/or job? If you answered yes to any of these questions, it might be time to ask for help. This is why we are here, we are here to help you step into your life with freedom and the fullness of who you are.
The counselors here at Thrive Counseling Kirkland are here and ready to help. Together for Mental Health. Mental Health wellness is not achieved alone.