Is this a question you have asked yourself? Have you wondered if you need help, but perhaps you experienced hesitation seasoned with reservations and feelings of fear and doubt?
Or perhaps you felt like, well, this is not that bad- someone else can benefit from therapy, and you talk yourself out of seeking help to address your needs?
We are definitely aware of the stigma associated with mental health and are seeking help to address it. By reading this article, I hope to help increase awareness about mental health and why it’s important to address it. I also have a passion for helping and encouraging people like you to pay more attention to their mental well-being, and of course, I would love to empower you with action steps for moving forward.
Allow me to share a few facts to normalize this issue-
According to the World Health Organization, between 30 and 80 % of individuals do not seek help to address their mental health- wow! According to the National Institute of Mental Health, 1 in 5 people have a mental illness.
While this article provides a high-level overview- I hope I have your attention now!
Dear reader, you are not alone!
What is mental health, you ask? Great question! Mental health includes our emotional, psychological, and social well-being. It affects how we think, feel, act, and interact with others and how we cope with life and stress.
So, guess what? We all have a spirit, mind, and body- and some of us go to the doctor for a physical check-up; some of us get a gym membership or go for a walk to address our physical health; some of us go to church, pray and read to address our spiritual health but what do we do about our mental health?
Now that I have your attention- ask yourself the questions-
Am I really, ok?
How am I really feeling?
Have I been suppressing my emotions?
Like the typical Dr. Phil question- how is that working out for you? There is so much I want to say, but here are 3 points I want to emphasize:
Awareness is Essential - additional questions to reflect on:
- How is my mental health? How am I dealing with stress?
- Have I experienced a decreased interest in fun activities?
- Have I been isolating?
- Have I been feeling hopeless?
- Have I been engaging in addictive behaviors to avoid dealing with my ‘stuff’ like overworking, overeating, gambling, overspending, drug use, alcohol, etc.?
- Have I been experiencing issues with focus and productivity?
Just like our cars/ trucks have warning lights to point out a problem to be addressed, the aforementioned are some examples of warning signs to indicate that I am not well.
Acknowledge and Accept the Need for Help
- Seek mentorship.
- Talk to a trusted friend.
- Seek faith-based support.
- Seek counseling.
Accountability
- Putting into practice what you receive from mentorship or counseling.
- Perhaps you may decide to join a support group or discipleship group.
- This may involve group work, classes, Bible study, prayer, consistent therapy, mentor meetings, etc.
There may be factors or barriers that are out of your control; however, focus on what you can control—your peace of mind depends on it.