Mental Health Awareness Month

Mental Health Awareness Month has been observed here in the US since 1949, but it seems like we mostly haven’t paid attention to it because maybe it didn’t apply to us – or so we thought.

We’re fine. Our family is fine. Our neighbors are fine. Even if we aren’t, we sure don’t talk about it. That is where we’ve failed ourselves and each other.

The brain is a pretty important part of our body, wouldn’t you say? For example, it keeps us breathing without thinking about it. That’s super handy.

It also helps us process, well, pretty much everything in our lives. But sometimes, we find ourselves in a state where our brain is having difficulties, is misfiring those synapses, is telling us stories, is seeing things that others don’t, is making us feel so bad that it is a struggle to get out of bed…to smile…to take a shower…to put on clean clothes.

Why does that happen? That is THE question that people with mental health issues ask themselves.

For decades there has been a stigma association with mental health issues. That’s crazy, right? Hmm…maybe that wasn’t the right word to use there. Did you catch what just happened?

Mental Health Awareness Month is the perfect time to shine the light on this topic that affects nearly everyone reading this story right now. If we as a society and community decide to no longer ignore the fact that mental health is just as important and easy to talk about as physical health, what mountains we could climb together.

Let’s make it normal to ask each other “are you okay?” After all, we have no problems asking each other when we know someone has a physical injury.

What if someone you know had a mental health crisis or attempted suicide, and had to be hospitalized for a week? Would you feel as comfortable providing support and comfort, stopping by with a casserole?

Asking them, “Hey, how are you? Would you like some company?” and then actually engaging in active listening to hear the answers?

Is it easy? Nope. But is it worth it? Absolutely.

With the cowboy way of life here in Wyoming, sayings such as “dust it off” and “pull yourself up by the bootstraps” are common lingo when someone is injured. But depression and other mental health issues are not injuries that go away, they are health issues with the brain.

Can these issues be treated? Absolutely. But, for many people, it is a lifelong process of trying various treatments and medications.

What most people don’t realize is that that person you see always smiling, doing everything for everyone else and constantly going might just be living with a mental health issue and, you know what? That is okay.

If you were in a crowd with 100 people, statistics say that 20 of them would be living with a mental health issue. That means that you are either one of those 20, or the remaining 80 people in that crowd.

Imagine that and think about how you would feel if just ONE of those people reached out and said, “Hey, are you okay?”

Words matter. Community matters. Family matters.

I’m not a mental health professional and I don’t play one on TV. I do, however, work as your prevention specialist here in Crook County.

I invite you to look at our website http://www.crookcountyprevention.com to find resources if you need help. I invited you to participate in our coalition of neighbors helping our community grow healthier with the Be Well Coalition.

On June 15, we are holding a day long class called Mental Health First Aid. I would love to see you there, you just need to visit our website and sign up.

And finally, I invite you to step out of your comfort zone and ask someone you are concerned about, “Hey, are you okay?”

If you or someone you know is struggling with mental health or suicidal thoughts, please contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255 or text WYO to 741-741.