Nicely, right here we’re once more – it’s Psychological Well being Consciousness Month! Though I really feel like I say this yearly, psychological well being is extra essential than ever. Whether or not it’s our personal psychological well being or supporting others, there may be a whole lot of consciousness to lift and tales to share. So, as I do most years, I need to spotlight a number of campaigns to comply with throughout Psychological Well being Consciousness Month. Hopefully they resonate with you or somebody you realize; no matter the way you become involved, I hope this month is a useful one in studying extra about your personal psychological well being, or psychological well being on the whole.
Psychological Well being America – “Flip Consciousness Into Motion”
Psychological Well being America is the group that based Psychological Well being Consciousness Month in 1949. Since then, they’ve achieved an incredible job highlighting completely different features of psychological well being. This 12 months, their theme is “Flip Consciousness into Motion,” which I like. The theme was chosen with the objective (Per Wikipedia) of:
“Celebrating the progress we’ve made in recognizing the significance of psychological well being — and difficult us to show understanding into significant steps towards change.”
If I’ve mentioned it as soon as, I’ve mentioned it 1,000,000 instances: consciousness is essential, but it surely’s simply step one in relation to psychological well being. Turning consciousness into motion is a catchy tagline, but it surely’s more durable than it sounds. You must overcome so many challenges to get from consciousness to motion – issues like bias, stigma, your personal struggles, understanding the challenges…the listing goes on. By emphasizing how we are able to take significant steps, MHA is driving change with motion – a trigger we are able to all get behind.
Nationwide Alliance on Psychological Sickness – “In Each Story There’s Power”
Because you’re studying a psychological well being weblog this gained’t shock you to learn, however I nonetheless must say it: I like this theme. I’ve all the time believed that every of us has a narrative in relation to psychological well being, and each story issues. I’m glad to see NAMI agrees! From their web site:
“In Each Story, There’s Power,” highlights the resilience and numerous experiences that form psychological well being journeys inside our group. NAMI’s marketing campaign celebrates the facility of storytelling to gasoline connection, understanding, and hope for these navigating their very own psychological well being path.
Sharing our tales is courageous. It’s essential. It issues. There are not any unimportant tales about psychological well being; you by no means know what sharing your story will imply to somebody, what it might educate them about psychological well being or about themselves. There’s energy and power in speaking about psychological well being and the extra we do it, the extra we shrink the stigma and convey the dialog to the forefront.
SAMHSA – Psychological Well being Consciousness Month Toolkit
What I like that SAMHSA (the Substance Abuse and Psychological Well being Companies Administration) does throughout Psychological Well being Consciousness Month their toolkit! This toolkit that provides you every part that you must know and options important data and sources about psychological well being. Key messaging, content material, and messages of assist only a few of the issues inside, offering every part that you must increase your voice this month! SAMHSA’s work highlights an essential connection between substance abuse and psychological well being challenges. This connection is commonly ignored or misunderstood, and one that every one of us ought to pay extra consideration to.
What You Can Do Throughout Psychological Well being Consciousness Month
I gained’t faux that it’s a simple time to speak about psychological well being consciousness proper now. Issues are altering sooner than we are able to react to them, and they’re fixed. Everyone seems to be simply making an attempt to remain afloat, and doing issues like elevating consciousness and speaking about laborious issues will not be excellent for you proper now. That’s okay! One other good factor this month brings is an opportunity to test in. Whether or not it’s checking in on ourselves, our family members, or how these round us are caring for their psychological well being, this month is an efficient time to try to reset on our strategy to psychological well being and set us up for achievement within the days and months forward. As I wrote this time final 12 months:
“Whether or not we acknowledge it or not, psychological well being impacts us all. Psychological Well being Consciousness Month is a time to shine a highlight on this reality, to be taught to reside in a cheerful and wholesome manner.
And as all the time, that’s the primary takeaway. I’m sending constructive ideas and vibes to my readers as we proceed to shrink the stigma and lift consciousness on the subject of psychological well being.
What is going to you be doing to lift consciousness throughout Psychological Well being Consciousness Month? I’d love to listen to it! Let me know within the feedback.
