Mental Health for Putnam County

Monday, May 18, 2020

May is Mental Health Month, and it has never been more important than this year.

Until now, there were still some people who believed that mental health wasn’t everyone’s concern. They thought that the resources shared with millions were aimed at just a small group of people – the one in five who have a mental health concern in any given year.

That isn’t the case today.

Just weeks ago, we had no idea that all our worlds were going to be turned upside down by the coronavirus. Or that the associated worry, isolation, loneliness, and anxiety would be something that literally everyone – all five in five – would experience. But the good news is there are practical tools that everyone can use to improve their mental health and increase resiliency - and there are ways that everyone can be supportive of friends, family, and co-workers who are struggling with life’s challenges or their mental health.

This May, Mental Health America of Putnam County (MHAoPC) is celebrating Mental Health Month by presenting and exploring topics that can help you build your own set of #Tools2Thrive. These areas include: recognizing and owning your feelings; finding the positive after loss; connecting with others; eliminating toxic influences; creating healthy routines; and supporting others - all as ways to boost the mental health and general wellness of you and your loved ones. We have many timely resources for all these subjects and would love to share these in more detail with you.

Look for information pieces in upcoming editions of the Banner Graphic for more details on these subjects.

Online resources have really taken off recently. Our own, newly re-designed web site, mhaopc.org, has not only information on our programs, but links to these #ToolsToThrive, COVID-19 sites, and support services. Additionally, we would like to applaud Indiana state agencies for launching the new bewellindiana.com website, where Hoosiers can find resources and services for mental health and substance use disorders, as well as take one of our mental health screens.

Writing of screenings, we invite you take a quick snapshot of your mental health with one of many available. The goal of MHAs all over the country is to have ONE MILLION screenings done in the month of May. One of the easiest tools anyone can use is taking a mental health screen when they need answers. It’s a quick, free, and private way for people to assess their mental health and recognize signs of mental health problems. Screenings not only help you think about specific challenges, they can help you define specific issues and help others (e.g. surveys for Caregivers, Parents, and Better Care for Adults) . Join us in reaching a #MillionInMay! You can reach the screenings at mhascreening.org.

Practical tools are close by that everyone can use to improve their mental health and increase resiliency regardless of the situations they are dealing with. Don’t hesitate to reach out and research, evaluate, and engage. Remember, we’re all in this together, and our strength is working with each other.

For more information, visit www.mhanational.org/may, our local web site at www.mhaopc.org, or by calling 765-653-3310.

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