May is… Mental Health Month

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Health is more than physical well-being. The quality of our lives is shaped by our mental health as well. There are many steps we can take to maintain or improve our mental health.

Stress is a fact of life, so attempting to be stress-free is an impossible goal. Yet unresolved stress can really take a toll on our overall quality of life. How can we effectively manage stress when it interferes with our well-being?

One way to manage stress is to stay connected to our family and friends who support us. They serve as a mirror to our strengths. They remind us that even when we fail we are loved and are able to love - that failing is not the same as being a failure. The musicians Simon and Garfunkel were right on target when they described friends as our “bridge over troubled water”. Spending time with those who love us is truly healing.

Alone time is also important. Listening to music, reading a book, practicing meditation or yoga are simple pleasures that often bring joy. Choose to do what brings you joy and you will transform loneliness into quiet solitude - a totally different experience.

Exercise is another way to relax your mind and your muscles. A gentle walk will do if you are not in the best of shape. Exercise has been repeatedly shown to reduce anxiety and the symptoms of depression. It also helps the quality of your sleep. Sleep is essential to health and well-being.

Staying connected with our community is also important. It helps us see the broader picture and move beyond our personal concerns. How we connect is really less important than that we connect. Volunteer work, attending church or synagogue, helping out with special events like the March of Dimes Walk can all make us feel better about ourselves while helping others. It can also give you a sense of purpose, and introduce you to others who share your passion.

Just as people become physically ill through no fault of their own, people become mentally ill, too. Genetics and the environment interact in ways that actually change the brain’s biochemistry. We have known for years that more serious forms of mental illness like schizophrenia and bipolar disorder were associated with physical changes in the brain. We now know that many more subtle forms of mental illness have similar causes. Serious depression and anxiety are among them.

For those with any form of mental illness, staying connected with professional help is critical to their well-being. The more scientists learn about mental illness, the better they are able to treat it. Advances in treating mental illness are occurring at lightening speed. It is not only silly to suffer in silence – it can be dangerous. Suicide is one of the leading causes of death among adolescents and adults in our country.

The message for this month is very simple. Stay connected to your family and friends. Stay connected to your community. Stay connected to your self. And stay connected to professional help whenever you need it.

Remember always…
Prevention is Power!