May is Mental Health Awareness Month and the 2020 theme is “Tools 2 Thrive.” Everyone can use tools to improve their mental health and increase resiliency. As we all continue to adapt to staying at home more and wait to see what the “new normal” looks like, taking care of our mental health and having a plan is more important than ever. Mental health is essential to everyone’s overall health and wellbeing, and mental illnesses are common and treatable. While 1 in 5 people will experience a mental illness during their lifetime, everyone faces challenges that can impact their mental health.
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Mental health issues span a broad range of conditions that many of individuals experience to more complex disorders. Depression and anxiety, especially during Covid-19, is something many people are dealing with, some for the first time. A few months ago we would have not imagined not being able to hug a family member, that social distancing is a common practice, that schools would shut down or that wearing a mask to the grocery store would be the “new normal.” Adjusting to a new reality for an uncertain amount of time can cause anxiety, feelings of isolation or depression. If you are experiencing any of these, talk with your primary care physician. Below are some tips and links that may help, in addition to talking with your physician.
The American Anxiety and Depression Association of America recommends eating healthy well-balanced meals, exercising daily, taking a minute for deep breathing, and accepting that you cannot control everything. A full list of their tips is below.
Many people deal with mental health issues and it is important to talk to friends and family if you have concerns. More than 40 million Americans deal with anxiety issues. No one should have to deal with it alone. For more information on mental health, check out the links below.
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