MAY 2017 ~ Mental Health Awareness Month

Greetings Blog Readers ~ This month we are discussing mental health here on the Blog in an effort to open up discussions and to bring more awareness to the topic of mental health.

We'll be diving into many topics of discussion in relation to mental health, and hopefully you will be able to gain further knowledge and also add your input as well.

Please Note:  [You may catch up on any past Blog posts by scrolling down, or by clicking on any of the links in the far right column in the "Blog Archive".  As always, your thoughts, comments and/or questions are always welcomed and encouraged.  You may post your comments here on the Blog in the "Comments Section".  Remember you may also "Follow by Email", simply enter your Email address and click "submit" {far right column just below my eyeball}].

Let's take a look at Mental Health Myths & Facts:

Myth: Teenagers don’t suffer from “real” mental illnesses — they are just moody.
Fact: One in five teens has some type of mental health problem in a given year.

Myth: Talk about suicide is an idle threat that need not be taken seriously.
Fact: Suicide is the third leading cause of death among high school students and the second leading cause of death in college students. Talk about suicide should always be taken seriously.

Myth: Mental illness is an indication of weakness, and those experiencing problems should just “snap out of it.”
Fact: Mental illnesses are just that: illnesses. They are not character flaws. Facing a mental illness and going through the process of therapy takes an enormous amount of emotional and physical strength.

Myth: Mental illness is not real and cannot be treated.Fact: Mental disorders are as easy to diagnose as asthma, diabetes and cancer and have a range of effective treatments for most conditions.

Myth: Mental illnesses are not “real” medical illnesses.
Fact: Mental illnesses can be just as disabling as other medical illnesses, and many are at least partly biological in nature.

Myth: We’re good people. Mental illness doesn't happen to my family.
Fact: One in four families is affected by a mental health problem.

Myth: Eating disorders only affect celebrities and models.
Fact: Each year eating disorders and binge eating affect 24 million Americans. Eating disorders claim more lives each year than any other mental disorder.

Myth: It’s not depression; you're just going through a phase.
Fact: Nineteen million adults in the United States suffer from some form of depression every year.

Myth: Insurance doesn’t need to cover mental health; it’s not a big problem.
Fact: Fifty-four million Americans are affected by mental illness each year, regardless of ethnicity, sex or socioeconomic class.

Myth: Doctors are too busy treating physical problems to deal with mental health.
Fact: Up to one-half of all visits to primary care physicians are due to conditions that are caused or exacerbated by mental illness.

Myth: Mental illness is a personal problem not a business concern.
Fact: Depression is the leading cause of disability in the United States over back problems, heart disease and liver failure.

University of Michigan, Five Common Myths. (n.d.). Retrieved from URL  

Visit:  Healthy Campus - Mental Health Home

As part of the process of learning more about mental health on the Blog this month, we are Journaling our thoughts . . .

Journal Therapy

Journals are wonderful tools to keep in touch with your feelings, your emotions, your thoughts, and your day to day activities.  With respect to your mental health, you'll find that keeping a Journal is a very therapeutic exercise.

You'd be amazed at all of the things that have happened in your life up to this point that you have pushed under the rug.  Writing in a Journal daily helps you keep in touch with your authentic and true "self".  The original "you" is not who others make you out to be.  Nor is the original "you" the incidences that have dampened your spirit.  The original "you" knows exactly who you are and the greatness you are capable of.

No matter what anyone has said about you or to you that you know is not true, remember your true "self" is bigger and better than any insults, criticisms, lies, or hurtful comments.

A Journal helps you to see the joyful moments of your life as well.  Your life has been full of many moments of accomplishments and conquests for the betterment of others that you may have discounted.  Many of your most joyful moments others do not have a clue about.  No one is with you every step of your life.  They do not see all of the joys, nor do they see or know about all of your hurts.  You know you better than anyone else.

Here is a Journal exercise for you this evening...

Get comfortable, put on your favorite music, light some candles, burn some incense, turn on your therapeutic water fountain . . .

I'm going to help you to get your Journal Party started!  Pull out your favorite Journal and your favorite ink pen.  In your Journal, write about . . .

1)  The first joyful moment you can remember.

2)  How old were you, and why were you so happy about that particular joyful moment?

3)  Who, (if any), were the people involved or around?

4)  Where was the location of your first joyful moment?

5)  Now, consider the first incident in your life that made you unhappy, sad, scared, or angry.

6)  How old were you, and what was the reason that you were unhappy, sad, scared, or angry?

7)  Who, (if any), were the people involved or around?

8)  Where was the location of your first incident of unhappiness, sadness, fear or anger?

Go back in your mind as far as you can to answer the questions above, and to revisit the emotions associated with the joy and the pain.  You may think you have forgotten, but the answers to those questions are in your subconscious mind.

After you have taken the time to write all of the above items in your Journal, sit back for a minute and just breathe ~ relax.

Put on a song that you absolutely L O V E!

We'll be back . . .

Peace, Love & Light,

 René

©Copyright - René Allen - MAY 2017 - All Rights Reserved