Mental Health Awareness Month
May is Mental Health Awareness Month, and HHSA’s Mental Health Branch is seeking to raise awareness of the role mental health plays in all of our lives. Anyone can take steps to promote good mental health; treatment is available, and recovery is possible. Even small steps can make a big difference in your health and well-being.
A healthy lifestyle includes a balanced diet, regular exercise and sleep patterns, developing a sense of self-worth and coping skills that promote resiliency, emotional awareness, and connections to family, friends, and the community. These learned habits can help to prevent the onset or worsening of depression, anxiety, and other mental health conditions, as well as heart disease, diabetes, obesity, and other chronic health problems. For some, moving toward wellness also involves the assistance of medical staff and counselors.
Although many individuals may not want to get diagnosed out of fear of what others will say and think, it’s important to note that there is a wide variety of treatment options for mental illnesses; they can include talk therapy, medication, and peer support, to name just a few. It may take some time for a person to find the right treatment or combination of treatments that works best, but when it all comes together, lives can change—not just for the person with the mental illness, but also for everyone surrounding that person, including family, friends, coworkers, and others.
During Mental Health Awareness Month, we encourage residents to learn about some of the signs of mental illness, how to begin addressing symptoms early, and where to go for help.
Join us for Mental Health Awareness Month and commit to a healthier lifestyle. Check out the flyer for activities and events brought to you by Tulare County’s Mental Health Branch and partners during the month of May.
