Make Mental Health a Priority
Mental health disorders are at epidemic levels and are closer to home than you may think. There are many people silently suffering from their multifaceted emotional, physical, and social effects, and unable to voice their concerns or seek help. A lack of sufficient knowledge, social stigma, and ignorance have all prevented mental health from getting the attention it deserves.
It is time to create a dialogue and take action. At an individual level, there is much you can do to make mental health a priority at home, school, workplace, community, and even at a national level. Your simple actions could provide a lifeline to someone without a voice and move many others to action.
So, let’s make a difference. Let’s save a life. Here are simple steps you can take today to make mental health a priority.
Make education a priority
Lack of awareness is keeping many individuals, families, and communities from effectively tackling mental health disorders. Understanding the causes and symptoms, steps for prevention and treatment, and ways of creating a supportive environment can all help toward taking proactive action.
So, take the first step to make mental wellness a priority and educate yourself. Make use of the abundance of online mental health resources. You can even get in touch with us for a range of free educational programs and resources designed by our team of experts. And don’t forget to share what you learn with those around you and encourage your loved ones to make mental health education a priority.
Create conversations
There is still a tremendous social stigma that is preventing an open dialogue about mental health disorders. It is keeping individuals experiencing mental illnesses from seeking necessary support. It is holding back families from addressing noticeable behavior changes in their loved ones.
Starting a conversation about this important topic can pave the way for many more shared dialogues that could help save someone’s life. So, start the conversation at home. Make mental health a topic with your family, friends, work colleagues, and neighbors. Use social networks to raise your voice. Talk about it and write about it at every possible opportunity. You will be surprised by the powerful viral effect you could spark with one conversation.
Advocate change
State and federal level support is essential to ensure adequate resources, funding, and research to effectively tackle mental health disorders at a local and national level. And, the right policy decisions have the capacity to create important public-private collaborations, improve accessibility to better mental healthcare, advance mental health research, and strengthen legislation.
So, start advocating to bring much-needed attention to this important national health problem. Join an advocacy group, take an active interest in policy matters, voice your opinion, highlight critical mental health challenges during political campaigns, and use your vote to ensure that mental health becomes a priority.
Make mental health a priority in the workplace
Many people spend more time at work than at home. This makes it important to make mental health a priority in the workplace. Unfortunately, it does not attract the same attention and care as physical illnesses.
So, work together with your employer to create a supportive environment where employees can seek necessary support for their mental wellbeing. Take proactive steps to strengthen your organization’s policies against discrimination and harassment towards those suffering from a mental health disorder. Champion mental health awareness and request training for both management and employees. Advocate for a culture of inclusiveness and open dialogue to help break the stigma surrounding mental illnesses.