Taking care of ourselves and our loved ones includes looking after our mental well-being. Even though May is Mental Health Awareness Month since 1949, there are many segments of our community where mental health issues are still somewhat of a taboo or not deemed important. The reality is that we all suffer the consequences of ignoring our mental health issues as well as that of others around us.
How to Help Yourself Deal with Mental Health Issues
We all suffer from days when we have “the blues,” or just feel down or out of sorts. When we seem to always be feeling this way, it’s probably a good idea to take a closer look at what we are feeling and what may be causing it.
There are many things you can do on your own to foster a healthier mental state. These things range from simply doing exercise or physical activities, talking to a friend you trust, and even changing your environment temporarily—perhaps going for a walk in the park or the beaches.
When these things don’t seem to work, it may be time for you to bring up the issue of how you’re feeling with your doctor or therapist. You also have available resources locally and nationally which can be a source for you to seek help.
The important thing when we feel severely depressed or facing any other mental health issues is to know that we are not alone. This may sound trite or be a cliché nowadays but it is nevertheless true. It is true because we are social beings. As such, we look to see ourselves reflected in those around us, we learn from each other and we seek comfort from each other.
Helping Your Loved Ones
In my opinion, nothing beats paying attention to our loved ones, being observant. If you notice that your child, spouse, parent or any other loved one seems to be stuck dealing with an issue or mental state, please don’t ignore it. Offer support and look for resources to help them and to help you help them.
Local and National Mental Health Resources
Whatever the mental health issue you or your loved ones may be experiencing, chances are that there is a resource available to help you or to begin looking for help.
The Suicide Prevention Hotline: (800) 273-TALK or (800) SUICIDE is a good one to keep top of mind.
At the local level in Miami-Dade you have:
NAMI Miami-Dade: This is the Miami-Dade organization part of the National Alliance on Mental Illness. They provide free mental health support, including crisis and suicide prevention assistance, connection to a trained crisis counselor you can reach 24/7 by text via their Text NAMI 741-741, group and online counseling. The site also provides you additional resources.
Miami-Dade County Public Schools – Our children are specially vulnerable because they don’t have the tools or agency to take care of their mental health, but you as parent or caretaker can do a lot. The Miami-Dade County Public Schools provide resources to help you help your child. Visit their Mental Health Services where they have webinars available 24/7 for students and parents in English, Spanish and Creole, and other resources.
At the state/national level:
National Institute of Mental Health. Besides having resources for you to reach out to, they also have information on a variety of mental health related topics.
NAMI.org is the national organization of which NAMI Miami-Dade is a part.
FloridaHealth.gov Mental Health Disorder Resources – If you can’t find what you are looking for when you search your city/county for mental health resources, you can search on this page.
The important thing to remember is that there is help for just about any mental health issue or situation. Whether it’s you or someone you love/know, any situation can be more manageable by taking action to look for help and support.