What is Mental Health Awareness Month?

May is Mental Health Awareness Month and has been observed in the U.S. since 1949. Each year millions of Americans face the reality of living with a mental illness.  This is critical because of our advanced society and how we can interact online. Most people today have some way that they can connect with the internet, but how does that relate to health? The relationship starts with popular apps that allow you to exchange photos, view ads while waiting for something to load, and how people log onto social media at night to be up to date. 

How Society Standards Impacts Our Mental Health

In society, people set expectations for looks, popularity, and other judgemental thoughts based on images and posts. This is displayed almost on all social media. It pressures people to feel the need to start changing themselves or not being their person. It is because many people feel like they don’t meet the standards that are set by users. A specific example that relates to this is stress. Stress can trigger a mental illness and it may be because of judgmental thoughts perceived online. 

Social Media & Mental Health

Online statistics and studies that show percentages are another great example of how social media affects mental health. Small percentages, like one out of a hundred, make people instantly think that it is highly unlikely the subject addressed will not apply to them. They think since it is such a slim chance that they cannot possibly be that part of the slim chance. The thinking process used to cause this perception is wrong. The person may even know they have symptoms of a mental illness, but they deny it because of statistics based on the professional studies done. As a result of this thinking process, they will not go and seek professional help and the illness will forever be untreated. 

People always want to know what’s happening with others. Many people go online to their social media account to ensure they are not missing out on an important post or event that they were not invited to. This can negatively affect their sleeping habits. They may not be able to sleep because of a post that caused them stress. Eventually, this could lead to more serious issues if it continues. 

The sad truth is, even though we all love social media a great deal, it takes advantage of your mental health. It can harm it as well. This may just be one solution as to why one in five Americans suffer from mental health each year that they do not know about.

Dealing with the Pandemic

It is critical to note the pandemic has affected many people- physically and mentally. You see the difference between past pandemics and now people didn’t have a device attached to them 24/7 so there was not as much info being spread. The news feeds us information- which is supposed to be accurate but that is not always the case. It’s completely rational to want to stay up to date on the latest public health guidance. However, too much media and info can be affecting you more than you thought. The key is to find a happy medium. Stay informed but don’t over consume info.

Why Mental Health is Important

 Mental health is so important, especially now during the pandemic era. It’s an essential part of your life that influences your thoughts, behaviors, and emotions. Which affects everyone else you interact with too. 

There are always ways to get the support you want. Here are some ways you can get help:

• Connect with others:  Reaching out to people in your life can help you so much and it can help you through whatever your situation is. Sometimes just talking takes a weight off your shoulders.
• Learn more about mental health:  Some reliable resources to utilize and learn more are Psychology Today, National Institute of Mental Health, and Anxiety and Depression Association of America.
• Talk to a professional — If you start to feel like your emotional health is starting to impact you, it may be time to reach out for extra support. You can see a psychologist or psychiatrist and find the personalized support you want- trust me it is okay I see a psychiatrist and it’s okay to seek help.

Stats

• 1 in 5 U.S. adults experiences mental illness each year.
• 1 in 20 U.S. adults experiences serious mental illness each year.
• 1 in 6 U.S. youth aged 6-17 experience a mental health disorder each year.
• 50% of all lifetime mental illness begins by age 14, and 75% by age 24.
• Suicide is the second leading cause of death among people aged 10-34

Resources

• Health Unlocked: A health-focused social network with communities for anxiety, depression, and other mental health issues.
• Turn2Me : Online support group for anxiety, depression, stress, and general mental health run by qualified professionals. Sessions are free, but require a reservation in advance.
• Daily Strength: Peer-based online forum and support group for anxiety.
• Therapy Tribe: Peer-to-peer support group addressing fear and stress associated with anxiety disorders.
• Mental Health Forum: Peer-to-peer community for a range of mental health issues, from anxiety to eating disorders.
• Bliss: A free, self-guided interactive therapy program for depression.
• Mental Health America: A community-based nonprofit with interactive tools to get help for mental illness.
• MentalHealth.gov: A comprehensive, government-sponsored guide with resources for multiple mental health issues.

Hope you all learned something or discovered some new resources to help yourself or someone struggling! I know I already posted this post but I made some changes on my blog and somehow the post deleted itself! So I had to post it agin.