For far too long, conversations about "health" have focused largely on bodily health -- hearts, livers, lungs -- while disregarding the importance of maintaining a healthy mind. Thankfully, this trend has begun to shift in recent years, as more and more emphasis is put on mental health. To raise awareness and further the conversation around the issue, Mental Health America (MHA) has designated May as Mental Health Month.
Mental Health Month 2019 seeks to expand upon last year's theme of #4Mind4Body, exploring the influence of animal companionship, spirituality, humor, work-life balance, recreation and social connections on boosting mental health and general wellness. During May, MHA will also examine how these influences may prove beneficial for those living with chronic physical illnesses as well. This topic ties in with MHA's 2019 Annual Conference in Washington, D.C., which will focus on "the impact and intersection of chronic conditions and mental health."
As doctors and researchers have gained more understanding of mental health in recent years, they are beginning to obtain a clearer picture of just how prevalent mental health conditions are. According to the National Alliance of Mental Illness, approximately one in five adults in the U.S. -- 43.8 million individuals -- experiences mental illness in a given year, and approximately one in 25 adults -- 9.8 million individuals -- experiences a mental illness so severe that it interferes with or limits major life activities in a given year.
With the hashtag #4Mind4Body, MHA will use Facebook, Twitter and Instagram to ask individuals to share how they personally use animals, spirituality, humor, work-life balance and recreation to improve their physical and mental health. Here's why MHA is putting emphasis on these specific areas:
⢠Animal companionship: The company of animals -- whether as pets or service animals -- can have a profound impact on a person's quality of life. A pet can be a source of comfort and can help us to live mentally healthier lives.
⢠Spirituality: Whether you go to church, meditate or simply enjoy a cup of tea each morning while checking in with yourself, it can be important to connect with your spiritual side in order to find that mind-body connection.
⢠Humor: Sometimes, life is far from funny, but finding humor in a situation can lift moods with laughter and help people better deal with and overcome difficult experiences.
⢠Work/life balance: Finding the balance between work and play, the ups and downs of life, and physical and mental health can help you on the path toward focusing on both #4Mind and #4Body.
⢠Recreation: Living a healthy lifestyle may not be easy, but it can be achieved by gradually making small changes and building on those successes.
⢠For those dealing with a chronic health condition and the people who care for them, it can be especially important to focus on mental health. When dealing with duel diagnoses, focusing on both the physical and mental health concerns can be daunting -- but critically important in achieving overall wellness.
Mental health is an essential component of everyone's overall health and well-being, so try to make time to focus on your mental state this month as MHA celebrates its 70th year of Mental Health Month this May. Remember: Mental illnesses, while common, are treatable.
MHA's 2019 toolkit, which aims to help you and members of your community understand how lifestyle factors impact the health of the mind and body, assess personal mental health through MHA's screening tools and, most importantly, start talking about mental health, can be downloaded from its website.
For more information or to download the toolkit, visit www.mental healthamerica.net/may.
