31 Days of Awareness: Mental Health

Mental Health Awareness

Awareness Color: Lime Green
Awareness Week: First full week in October
Awareness Month: May

Mental illness is a medical illness that doesn’t discriminate.  In fact, one out of every four Americans will experience a serious mental disorder in his or her lifetime that can intensely disrupt a person’s thinking, feeling, mood, and ability to relate to others. These illnesses encompass everything from anxiety, depression, bi-polar disorder, schizophrenia, and post traumatic stress disorder.

Recovery


As people become familiar with their illness, they recognize their own unique patterns of behavior. If individuals recognize these signs and seek effective and timely care, they can often prevent relapses. However, because mental illnesses have no cure, treatment must be continuous.

Individuals who live with a mental illness also benefit tremendously from taking responsibility for their own recovery. Once the illness is adequately managed, one must monitor potential side effects.

The notion of recovery involves a variety of perspectives. Recovery is a holistic process that includes traditional elements of mental health and aspects that extend beyond medication. Recovery from serious mental illness also includes attaining, and maintaining, physical health as another cornerstone of wellness.
The recovery journey is unique for each individual. There are several definitions of recovery; some grounded in medical and clinical values, some grounded in context of community and some in successful living. One of the most important principles is this: recovery is a process, not an event. The uniqueness and individual nature of recovery must be honored. While serious mental illness impacts individuals in many ways, the concept that all individuals can move towards wellness is paramount.

IF YOU ARE CURRENTLY CONTEMPLATING SUICIDE:

DEPRESSION LIES!

It -will- get better. However, you will need help to get there. There are many things you can do to help prevent Depression from lying to you further, but they all are factored under GET HELP! That's right. Get help. You cannot do it alone. Depression is a bitch and a damned good liar.

Call the National Suicide Prevention Hotline at : 1-800-273-TALK(8255)
           if you are a Veteran, Press 1.

For Veterans: Text 838255 to start a private conversation with a crisis counselor.

Confide in a fried. Go to the ER. Call 911.

But DO NOT GIVE UP! There is help. There are people that love you.  NO ONE has to fight this alone.