May is Mental Health Awareness month. As someone who grew up with anxiety that caused depression, this month is just as important to me as Breast Cancer Awareness month. Mental health is something that not only impacts your mind, but can impact you physically, as well. I know you're probably reading this thinking "blah, blah, blah I've heard all of this before." That's not what I'm trying to do here, so I'll stop with the pity party and explain to you exactly why you should care about Mental Health Awareness month.
1. One in five American adults have experienced a mental health issue.
So, if you're sitting in a room of about 10 people, at least two of them have experienced a mental health disorder. That person could be your mother, brother, sister, best friend, or someone you have just met. Mental health issues are often overlooked. That girl is tapping her foot repetitively because she has text anxiety and it helps her to focus on her exam. Instead of asking her to stop because it's distracting you, maybe you could ask her if she's OK. The little boy who back talks the teacher is depressed and it's the only way he can get attention. There's always a story. There's always a way to help. But most importantly, it's much more common than you think.
2. Less than 20 percent of children and adolescents with diagnosable mental health problems receive the treatment they need.
This is terrifying to me and it should be to you, as well. In my previous experiences working with children, I have noticed they can show major signs of mental health issues at a very early age. For example, a child I was in contact with daily seemed to have anxiety. I was one of the few people who noticed (probably because I knew the most about it) this and instead of scolding her when she cried over something silly, I would comfort her. Children with mental health issues do not understand what's going on in their minds. They don't know why other kids don't want to play with them because they cry too much or they're annoying. Trust me when I say this, it means the world to a child to be there for them when no one else is.
3. Suicide is the tenth leading cause of death in the United States.
Depression, anxiety, bi-polar disorder, schizophrenia, or any other disorder is NOT YOUR FAULT. We've all heard the story about a child at who committed suicide because he was bullied in school or at home. Personally, I'll never understand why someone could push a person to the point where the being experiencing depression or anxiety, but it does happen. These issues can also be genetic or develop from physical illness, injury, or brain chemistry. There's absolutely no reason to blame yourself, but with these issues it is hard not to want to blame yourself. With anxiety your mind runs a hundred miles a minute. At some point in life that person will want to blame their self. Be there for that person so it does not lead to such drastic measures.
So, with these things being said, you're probably thinking "well, what can I do? It seems to me like that person won't be able to bounce back anyway." I'm sorry but you're absolutely wrong. I've witnessed it myself, anyone and everyone can recover from mental health disorders just as someone can recover from a broken leg. You sign the cast that's placed to heal the broken bones. All it takes is a pat on the back; just showing that you care for that person could mean the world to him or her.
Mental Health awareness month is meant to educate and help those who are experiencing anxiety, depression, post-traumatic stress disorder, schizophrenia, or any other disorder that affects their daily life. One in five Americans thank you for giving us this month.
Information found at:
https://www.mentalhealth.gov/basics/myths-facts/
http://umc-gbcs.org/press-releases/faith-mental-he...
