May is Mental Health Awareness Month

May is Mental Health Awareness Month.  Its’ purpose is to try to help us understand that mental health issues affect all of us and to try to remove some of the stigma connected with being treated for a mental health condition.

Many of us struggle on a daily basis with mental illness, but sooner or later almost everyone will experience times of overpowering depression, anxiety, or and sadness.  That’s normal.  Life events can be overwhelming, sometimes to the point of destroying our joy in life and leaving us drained and emotionally stuck. There should be no shame in seeking help and guidance when our mental health is compromised.  It should be just as important to feel good mentally as it is to feel good physically.  We know that what we feel affects how we think and what we think affects how we feel.  When our thoughts get focused on negative circumstances, it’s difficult to move forward with any joy in life.

Sometimes the only possible response to what we are experiencing is a negative one, like when you lose someone important to you, when you find yourself so lonely you don’t know what to do, or you fail at something important.  During those times, it’s natural to feel down.  We may forget that we aren’t perfect, and we don’t have to be.  We need time to allow ourselves to experience our negative feelings so we can accept, process, and move on.  Problems arise when that period of feeling down doesn’t stop but feels endless.  Then we may need help to find our stride again and get back to feeling normal.

There are many things you can do to begin the journey to healing.  The bigger problem may be finding the energy to start.  It takes courage to take that first step.  “Talk therapy” has been shown to be helpful.  Learning mindfulness techniques or other stress reduction methods can also be a part of healing but sometimes more is needed.  Discussing your issues with a professional can help you gain insight and balance again.

There are many resources available for helping you cope with mental health issues.  Disability Network Lakeshore is here to connect you to the resources you need to make it through the hard times. Call us at 616-396-5326.