"Minding Your Mind"
Mental Health Month---"Minding Your Mind"
Mental health is “a state of well-being in which the individual realizes his or her abilities, can cope with the normal stresses of life and can function productively", per the World Health Organization (W.H.O.).
But a mental illness is a physical illness of the brain that causes disturbances in thinking, behavior, energy, or emotion that make it difficult to cope with the ordinary demands of life. The numbers below are staggering!
“20.6% of U.S. adults experienced mental illness in 2019 (51.5 million people). This represents 1 in 5 adults. 5.2% of U.S. adults experienced serious mental illness in 2019 (13.1 million people). This represents 1 in 20 adults.”
Mental health can include anger, anxiety, body dysmorphia, depression, bipolar, and many other conditions, including drug and alcohol use.
“According to the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), nearly 1 in 5 adults in the U.S. has a mental illness. Despite how common mental health conditions are, not everyone knows how to identify them. Early lesser-known common symptoms are often missed by family members and doctors.” Per NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Illness).
Below are some warning signs of mental health that people often miss:
- Constant Fatigue
- Physical Pain
- Avoidance
- Perfectionism
- Lack of emotions
Mental illness is complex, it runs across cultural, racial, ethnic, and socioeconomic lines. And it doesn’t look the same for everyone! Early detection and intervention for mental illness are key to help a person get connected to a support system and improve long-term recovery outcomes.
Mental health can be short or long-term. One experience, or “an episode” of mental illness, might only last a few days, weeks, or months but others may experience long-term conditions which do not go away and are managed often with medication. There are also long remission periods when you are not ill between episodes. Be advised, every case is different for anyone experiencing some level of mental health issue. And it is imperative to seek help immediately, to maintain a quality of life.
The myths and facts about the many disorders of mental health are vast. There are still so many misconceptions about mental illness. It’s not just a mood swing that goes away. It could be Bi-Polar disorder that has its peeks and valley cycles more often than not. So, if you have experiences or family members who have been experiencing some things you don't understand, please do your research and seek help.
Bi-Polar is more common than not. 2.8% of U.S. adults have experienced this disease in the last year! That’s astounding! It could be that in this last year, most of us have experienced so many unsettling experiences, that we never thought we would. Life has handed us a “Curve Ball”, to say the least.
Lastly, be cognizant of your challenges and practice self-care at its best and if there is something out of sorts in your life, don't hesitate, don't be ashamed, and reach out to someone to seek help or that can best answer questions as to what you are experiencing!
Be well, and take care of your health!