Mental Health Month 2021

 May is Mental Health Awareness Month. During Covid-19 last year, I wrote some posts about helping your mental health and what I was doing to keep as positive as could. I thought I'd write another post on little tips and stats that I've come across recently about mental health. It's always good to learn, especially about something that affects people you know, and maybe even you, yourself. 

I will be basing this post on NAMI's "You're Not Alone" campaign for May 2021. I'm a big advocate of NAMI as I worked with them before and it was a life changing experience. 

I hope you guys get something out of this post! 

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Facts by NAMI that are important:

-50% of all lifetime mental illness begins by age 14, and 75% by age 24

-1 in 20 U.S. adults experiences a serious mental illness each year, but less than two-thirds get treatment

-The overall suicide rate in the U.S. has increased by 35% since 1999

- 20.5% of people experiencing homelessness in the U.S. have a serious mental health condition

What "You're Not Alone" means to me

I always used to say that I was alone. No one in the children's ward had bipolar. I yelled at people I didn't know, just to push them away. I degraded people I DID know because no one understood me. Even though I had my family, I was struggling alone. I didn't know any other way to act or to be; I had tons of friends but I had no one who I could relate to or with. I told my middle school best friend my "secret" of my mental health issues and she said "yikes" then walks away, hand in hand with her boyfriend (that friendship fizzled from there, by the way). 

It was like I was in a white room packed with people smiling at me but all I could concentrate on was my brain screaming about how much I hated the color white. 

When I turned 23, things started to look up. It was like my eyes were finally opened, albeit probably pried. I could see the people around me who loved me for ME. They were there for ME. Don't ask me why, but people cared about ME. When people ask how I've gotten through some tough times, I always reply with "a support system". I also never realized how many people deal with mental health issues until I looked at the world around me. Friends, family, and even celebrities are starting to speak out about mental health. That's so commendable. Of course, there are still people who don't "believe" in bad mental health and for those people, that is the reason I talk. Invalidating people who are hurting is ignorant. I'm so open now because I believed I was always by myself, always lonely. 

That's why "You're Not Alone" is a phrase that I wish I had when I was a kid. Sometimes things get lonely, but I promise you, you're not alone. 

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Tips on Springtime self care

-The weather is getting nicer: GO FOR WALKS! With or without music, fresh air is good for you (says me)

-Start a book (or an audiobook!). Don't set a time to finish the book by. Go at leisurely pace and read a page a day. Or listen to an hour of an audiobook a day. You do what YOU want to do. 

-Try new morning drinks. Try a new coffee at home (I'm about to try vanilla bean coffee with peppermint mocha creamer. Will it be good? We'll see, but it's fun to try!) Seep different teas and mix them or have a tea-tasting party for one! Something new in the morning is a good way to get you up and about. 

-Sit on a bench. Notice things. The wind, the steps of the person walking their dog, the birds chirping. Mindfulness is a GREAT way to let go and relax (sometimes I feel like I'm going to fall asleep but I don't even CARE anymore; I love it)

-Light a candle during a time you usually don't. I used to light my candles only at night. It's 12:40 pm right now and I'm currently lighting my grapefruit mint birch candle. It could be JUST me, but candles makes me so happy and the nice smell makes me more relaxed. Just a little change in routine keeps things interesting! 

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How to seek out help

I know people and friends who have severe mental health struggles. A lot of them refuse to seek help. Why? Their anxiety is too bad, they think they don't need help, and some don't even want to attempt to get better for their own reasons. 

I will never tell people what to do when it comes to mental health, I only know what I've done and what I've been through. People often think I'm a doctor. I am not. I get drained easily (which is why I'm NOT a mental health doctor). It takes a lot out of me because I treat each friend's issue as my own. Someone once blamed me for their suicide attempt, even though I knew nothing about it, and I still get upset by it. 

I can not tell you what to do, like I said, but PLEASE, if you notice something is wrong or someone has told you something similar, don't be afraid to get help from a professional. Your friends are NOT your paid therapists. Yes, I will ALWAYS be open to talk, but when things get difficult, I cannot be the one to help you. Your friends cannot "fix you" or "cure you". Therapy has been my saving grace and you may need to go through a couple of them to find your match, but seeking help is how you help yourself and others.

Here are some links if you're currently stuck on where to start:

Psychology Today 

NAMI help line: 800-950-NAMI

Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741

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Remember, you are NOT ALONE. Please take care of yourselves!