Southern Indiana Living MayJune 2017

May is Mental Health Awareness
month across the country.
Organizations such as the
National Alliance on Mental
Illness and Mental Health American will
be starting campaigns through social media
to end the stigma and raise awareness
for mental health and mental illness.
What does that mean within our
own community? How can we help end
the stigma against mental health issues
and mental illness.
It starts with speaking out. I can
almost guarantee that someone in your
circle has or is facing a mental health issue,
whether you know it or not. One in
five adults suffer from mental illness each
year. Suicide is the third leading cause of
death among 15-24 year olds. Nearly twothirds
of adults go without treatment for
their mental illness.
Whether you’re aware of mental
health issues or not, it’s an issue and there
is a stigma.
Speaking out can be extremely difficult,
but the best way to break down the
stigma is to share our stories. That being
said, take your time! It may take months
or years or however long before you
feel comfortable talking about your own
journey with mental health. Nevertheless,
when you are ready, open up. In the
meantime, you can “speak out” by supporting
those who are sharing their stories.
Our voices, combined, make people
aware that there are people struggling
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with valid health issues—they aren’t personality
defects and they aren’t something
we can control without proper treatment
and support.
If you struggle with a mental
health issue, start supporting your own
community. Psychotherapy (talk therapy)
alone may work really well for one person,
while another person may also need
to couple that with medication in order to
maintain their health. Every single person
is different and yet, sometimes I see one
person struggling with anxiety insulting
another person who is going about it differently
or someone with a mood disorder
telling someone they’re handling their
own wrong.
All of our brains are wired differently,
which means we process and handle
things in different ways. The illness
itself is also unique to the individual so,
it will be handled uniquely depending
upon how it presents itself. Be healthy in
the best way you can for yourself and be
supportive, not judgmental, of another
person’s path to health.
Be aware and educate yourself.
It’s as simple as being aware of your surroundings.
Ask your friend who hasn’t
been interested in his favorite thing lately,
if he’s doing ok. Ask your co-worker how
their week has been and actually listen
to them. Ask yourself how you’re doing
that day, what are you struggling with.
Lastly, educate yourself. Read up on different
mental illnesses and what exactly
they are. So many times, we use mental
illnesses in casual conversation. If you’re
feeling stressed you may say you’re having
a panic attack or if you’re cleaning
something you may say you’re being
OCD that day. These are real illnesses that
real people face. You wouldn’t drop other
illnesses in random conversation. You
may not see it as a big deal, but when we
use those words in that way, we are telling
people who are suffering, that it’s not an
issue—that it’s just a way to be dramatic.
We need to recognize them for what they
are and talk about them in that context.
There are so many ways to get involved
this month and go green for mental
health and mental illness awareness.
Change your Facebook profile picture,
educate yourself on mental health issues,
seek help for yourself, share your story,
support a friend…Whatever it is you
decide to do this month, do something.
Speaking up and speaking out is the only
way to truly change the culture surrounding
mental health. •
PCS is located in Clarksville, Ind. and has
been serving the community since 1959. The
organization provides counseling services in
the form of psychotherapy, pastoral counseling,
play therapy, trauma counseling, addictions
therapy, music therapy, and more. For
more information, please visit the website at
www.pcs-counseling.org or call our intake coordinator
at 812-283-8383 x21.