PANAMA CITY, Fla. (WJHG/WECP) – Mental Health Month is observed every May, highlighting the importance of getting help when needed.
Comfort in crisis is the motto of Emerald Coast Behavioral Hospital.
“We want people to feel better. We don’t want them in the darkness,” said Bryana Villalobos, an adolescent therapist at the hospital. “We want them to be okay and be able to feel like they can continue on with their life.”
Everyone has tough days, but for some, that may be more frequent. Mental health professionals share when it might be time to seek help.
“If you start thinking about self-harm or that life isn’t mattering, or it’s becoming too difficult, seek assistance,” said Paula Henry, director of clinical services at Emerald Coast Behavioral Hospital.
Henry said people should reach out when they are in need.
“We want to encourage people, reach out when you’re feeling the blues, reach out when you feel you’re not okay,” said Henry, “when the thoughts are turning negative in your head, and you can’t control that. We’re here to help.”
Regardless of mental state, mental health professionals said everyone can benefit from therapy.
“We go through things every day, and it’s the straw that broke the camel’s back,” said Alexis Robinson, a therapist at Emerald Coast Behavioral Hospital. “So just to be able to kind of sort those out even as like maintenance sessions, it doesn’t have to be weekly.”
But some people are hindered from seeking help. Therapists said it’s because there’s a stigma surrounding mental health.
“We are in 2026, and we as the people control the narratives. And so if we are all aware of what’s going on and we erase that stigma, more people can get help, more lives can get saved,” Robinson said.
If you are in need, Emerald Coast Behavioral Hospital ,and other community resources are here for you.
If you are in need of immediate mental health help, call the Suicide and Crisis Hotline at 988.
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