May: National Mental Health Month

If you were told, that you may have heart disease, high blood pressure, or even diabetes, you wouldn’t wait around years to get it treated. If, for example, we are experiencing shortness of breath, or a racing heart, we would immediately seek out help. We would do everything our physician instructed us to do. We would do our own research to gain more knowledge on how to live healthier and better. Immediately, we would open ourselves to learn and to gain knowledge to help ourselves feel better.

Why can’t we say the same for mental health? There are those that will never seek treatment, thinking it will somehow get better on its own. Perhaps, there is the stigma of seeking help that is not associated with any other condition. Or maybe it is simply the fear, of asking for help.

If you know or think you know someone that is struggling with mental health issues, and you would like to help them, here are some ways you can help:

1. It is okay to ask if they want to talk about their feelings….it’s not necessary to have the answers.
2. Ask if there is anything you can do to help. Something like doing laundry, mowing the yard, or getting groceries.
3. Acknowledge how they feel. It helps out just knowing that someone believes what they are going through is real.
4. If the person is up to it, get outside or find an inside track and just take a quiet walk.
5. Remind them that their feelings are valid.