
October 10th is World Mental Health Day! This is the day on which countries throughout the world take some time to bring awareness to mental health and the impact it has on lives. In fact, the entirety of October is designated as World Mental Health Month! The United for Waukesha Resiliency Center recognizes the importance of mental health care every day and staff are here to help you with no cost mental health services and support.
According to the National Institute of Mental Health, in 2021, more than 22.8% of U.S. adults had a mental health condition. That is 57.8 million people (about twice the population of Texas) or 1 in every 5 adults, with anxiety disorders being the most frequently diagnosed. However, fewer than half of those affected seek treatment!
One of the goals of establishing a mental health day and month, is to help spread accurate information about mental health with the goal of reducing stigma, preserving our well-being, encouraging early intervention and improving access to services, which aligns perfectly with what the United for Waukesha Resiliency Center is meant to do!
Mental health includes our emotional, psychological and social well-being. It affects how we think, feel and act and it helps determine how we handle stress, relate to others, and make healthy choices. Mental health is important at every stage of life from childhood and adolescence through adulthood.
What can we do to help raise awareness?
- The first step is to educate yourself about mental health conditions, including the effects of trauma and how to help yourself and/or loved ones. Education is the first step in eliminating misconceptions that may contribute to stigma.
- Share your experiences and openly discuss mental health. This can help others to feel less alone and helps to normalize mental health conversation. When people learn how common mental illness and/or trauma reactions are, they become less afraid of it and are more likely to seek the treatment they may need.
- Getting involved in organizations such as NAMI, Mental Health America or the World Federation for Mental Health for both further education and an opportunity to volunteer is an excellent way to celebrate World Mental Health Day!
- Finally, practice your own self-care. This is a great time to check in on yourself and your loved ones. Consider taking an on-line screening, evaluate your stress management level, seek peer support or consider professional health care. If you have been affected in any way by the Christmas Parade tragedy of 2021 our Service Navigators can help connect you to free resources, as well.
The more we can talk about and learn about mental health, the more we can lessen the negative effects of stigma. Some of the harmful effects include discrimination, lack of understanding by family or friends, fewer opportunities, bullying, disparity in health insurance and the belief that the person will never succeed or that they can’t improve their situation. So, let’s get the conversations going! The Waukesha Resiliency Center is here to help. How is your mental health?