For those of who don’t know, May is National Mental Health Awareness Month. May has been recognized as National Mental Health Awareness has been observed since 1949 to reduce stigma, educate the public and support those with mental health conditions.
As someone who has struggled with mental health for almost a decade, it can be difficult asking for help. Some days it feels like I’m a ghost hovering above my own body and I can’t wait to crawl back into bed. Others, I am on Cloud 9 and never want the day to end. Mental health is never linear. It’s always changing.
When I was 19, a song by one of my favorite artists, Harry Styles, called “Treat People with Kindness” came out. Now, I don’t know how it happened, but the title of the song became my life mantra. If you listen to the song, you will find that it is about encouraging people to be genuinely kind to one another, make small positive changes and embrace a more welcoming world.
Since listening to the song, I’ve worked on trying to change my mindset to look at the positives in the world instead of all the negatives. Instead of complaining about having to wake up at 3 a.m. to go to the airport, I think to myself “How lucky am I to be able to afford to go on a fun trip with my friends (or family)!” Instead of complaining about how tired my legs are going to be after long walk with my parents on a Saturday afternoon, I think “I am so glad I’m able to move my body. I’m so glad I’m able to spend time with my parents.”
Another thing I’ve tried to accomplish is not being afraid of complimenting strangers. It sounds weird, I know, but it pushes me out of my comfort zone. I know when I receive a compliment from someone, my mood instantly lifts, and I feel more confident. Why should I not provide those same feel-good feelings to those around me? Who knows, your compliment might just make someone’s day, or even their week.
I’ve realized it is small positive changes, like these, can make all the difference in the world.
While these changes have helped me, I know they might not work for everyone. And resources are available for those who might need extra help. Northeast Youth and Family Services (NYFS) serves a majority of Press Publications’ cities and serves students in the Centennial School District.
NYFS is a local nonprofit mental health clinic and community service provider and has served the area since 1976. It offers therapy, medication management and community programs for individuals, families and couples, specializing in youth, children and adult services. The main NYFS office is located in Shoreview on Lexington Avenue N.
Another resource available is the National Alliance on Mental Health, better known as NAMI. NAMI is the nation’s largest grassroots mental health organization. The organization provides a support group for those struggling with mental health conditions called NAMI Connection. Groups meet weekly, monthly, every other week or monthly depending on your location. Many of these support groups are virtual and attendance is open to everyone across the country.
If you, or someone you know is struggling with mental health issues, know you are not alone. Resources can be found at, www.nami.org or nyfs.org.
And remember to treat people, and yourself, with kindness.
Madeline Dolby is an editor at Press Publications.