Mental Health Awareness Month

This month is Mental Health Awareness month – an important time to reflect on your own mental health, as well as acknowledge others who may be experiencing some mental health obstacles.

Let’s start here:

• 1 in 5 U.S. adults experience mental illness each year.
• 1 in 20 U.S. adults experience serious mental illness each year.
• 1 in 6 U.S. youth have a mental health condition, but only half receive treatment.
• 50% of all lifetime mental illness begins by age 14, and 75% by age 24.

These stats may surprise you, as it is a clear indicator that mental health issues are prominent in our society. Most times, mental health can hide behind a smile or a friendly face, and it is difficult to know how someone is feeling without diving into a deeper conversation.

Here are some tips to approach mental health conversations from Mental Health America:

• Start with a text if face-to-face conversations are too intimidating
• Listen to what you are being told and try not to be judgmental
• If you don’t understand, take some time to do research and learn more about what was discussed

For more information, visit https://mhanational.org/resources/time-to-talk-tips-for-talking-about-your-mental-health/.