Mental Health Awareness Month
Did you know that May is Mental Health Awareness Month? Mental Health Awareness Month began in 1949 to help increase awareness of the importance of mental health and wellness (youth.gov, n.d.). According to the CDC (2023), mental health “includes our emotional, psychological, and social well-being. It affects how we think, feel, and act. It also helps determine how we handle stress, relate to others, and make healthy choices.” Mental health is just as important as our physical health, but is often overlooked due to the reality that you cannot always physically see someone struggling mentally.
Mental Health Statistics (from the CDC):
1 in 5 adults in the US struggle with mental health
Over 1 in 5 youth (ages 13-18) currently or at some point in their life, have had seriously debilitating mental health
1 in 25 adults in the US live with serious mental health conditions, such as schizophrenia, bipolar, or major depression
Despite how common mental health is, there is still a stigma around it and many feel shameful for needing or seeking help. So, what can we do to help? Talking about our mental health with others can help normalize experiences for those who may also struggle with their mental health. Normalize therapy; It’s okay to need to talk to someone about what you’re struggling with.
As Christians, we can lament our struggles; a true outpouring of our raw emotion with the Lord. Through lamenting, we are able to recognize how finite we are amidst God’s wisdom. We begin to trust God while gaining understanding of His grace and love. Additionally, outwardly expressing personal struggles can increase awareness of others’ struggles, equipping us to more lovingly walk alongside them. Lastly, lamenting is one way we can walk in Jesus’s steps as an apprentice of Jesus (John 11:33-35; Mark 15:34) (Higginbottom, 2022). As believers, we can also take part in pursuing healing through personal and/or group prayer for mental health, as well as taking actionable steps with others toward healing. This may look like seeking a therapist, or for some, it could be advocating for legislative policies to pass that would support more mental health services. Another actionable step could be joining the National Alliance on Mental Health (NAMI), who has opportunities to get involved in events related to mental health! Please follow this link for more information on how to get involved: https://www.nami.org/about-nami/
References:
ReferencesCenters for Disease Control and Prevention. (2023, April 25). About Mental Health. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; U.S. Department of Health & Human Services.
https://www.cdc.gov/mentalhealth/learn/index.htmHigginbottom, R. (2022, June 13). Biblical Lament: What It Is and How to Do It. Open the Bible. https://openthebible.org/article/biblical-lament-what-it-is-and-how-to-do-it/
May is National Mental Health Month | Youth.gov. (n.d.). Youth.gov. https://youth.gov/feature-article/may-national-mental-health-month
