May is Mental Health Awareness Month
May is Mental Health Awareness Month, also known as Mental Health Month. It has been observed each May in the United States since 1949. It has never been more important than now to recognize that mental health is an essential component to one’s overall health and wellbeing, and that mental illnesses are common and treatable.
While it may be that some of us are more vulnerable than others, everyone faces challenges in life that can impact their mental health. After all, just a few months ago, none of us had any idea that all our worlds would be upended by the coronavirus, and that worry, isolation, loneliness, depression and anxiety would become collective experiences shared by literally everyone.
Now is a good time to pause and reflect. May is Mental Health Awareness Month, so we want to make sure we recognize a difficult truth: Nearly one in five Americans lives with a mental health condition, according to the National Institute of Mental Health.
That includes any mental, behavioral, or emotional disorder such as:
- Depression
- Anxiety
- Mood disorders, including bipolar disorder
- Personality disorders
- Psychotic disorders, including schizophrenia
- Trauma
- Eating disorders
- Substance-use disorders
Depression and mood disorders are widespread among older adults. As caregivers we have the ability of seeing the following warning signs in our senior loved ones, which could indicate a mental health concern:
- Changes in appearance or the way they dress
- Problems with concentration or decision-making
- Changes in weight
- Feelings of worthlessness and helplessness
- Energy loss, unexplained fatigue, and/or sleep changes
For more information on Mental Health visit the links below:
- https://www.leehealth.org/health-and-wellness/healthy-news-blog/mental-health/take-care-of-yourself-may-is-mental-health-awareness-month
- https://fenwayhealth.org/the-importance-of-mental-health-awareness-month
If you have any questions or you would like to schedule an appointment, please call 786-377-7777.
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