{"id":72,"date":"2015-05-19T13:28:13","date_gmt":"2015-05-19T13:28:13","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.ncssinc.org\/blog\/?p=72"},"modified":"2016-06-30T15:24:05","modified_gmt":"2016-06-30T15:24:05","slug":"maymentalhealthawareness","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ncssinc.org\/news\/maymentalhealthawareness\/","title":{"rendered":"Being Mindful of your Mental Health"},"content":{"rendered":"

May is Mental Health Awareness
\nMonth<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n

Mental Health Awareness Month occurs each year in May and is
\ndesigned to increase awareness about mental illness.  <\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

Being Mindful of your Mental
\nHealth <\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n

Northwestern Counseling & Support Services (NCSS) stresses
\nthe importance of being mindful of your mental health just as you would with
\nphysical health and nutrition. Unfortunately, there is a social stigma
\nassociated with mental illness, and this stigma prevents the majority of people
\nwith mental illnesses from seeking help. <\/span>NCSS
\nprefers to view stigma as an acronym for S<\/strong>triving T<\/strong>o I<\/strong>ncrease
\nG<\/strong>ood M<\/strong>ental Health A<\/strong>wareness. <\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n

All mental illnesses, such as depression, need to be looked at
\nlike any other illness. And if you had any other illness you wouldn’t hesitate
\nto get treatment. NCSS asks that you seek treatment if you believe that you may
\nhave a mental illness. <\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/h3>\n

What Is A Mental Illness?<\/span><\/h3>\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n

A
\nmental illness is a disease that causes mild to severe disturbances in
\nthinking, perception and behavior.  If these disturbances significantly
\nimpair a person’s ability to cope with life’s ordinary demands and routines,
\nthen he or she should immediately seek proper treatment with a mental health
\nprofessional. With the proper care and treatment, a person can recover and
\nresume normal activities.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n

Many
\nmental illnesses are believed to have biological causes, just like cancer,
\ndiabetes and heart disease, but some mental disorders are caused by a person’s
\nenvironment and experiences.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/h1>\n

Stigma:
\nRaising Awareness and Understanding<\/span><\/h1>\n

 <\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

Mental illness can strike anyone! <\/span><\/strong> It knows no age limits, economic
\nstatus, race, creed or color. During the course of a year, more than 54 million
\nAmericans are affected by one or more mental disorders.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n

Medical
\nscience has made incredible progress over the last century in helping us understand,
\ncuring and eliminating the causes of many diseases including mental illnesses.
\nHowever, while doctors continue to solve some of the mysteries of the brain,
\nmany of its functions remain a puzzle. Even at the leading research centers, no
\none fully understands how the brain works or why it malfunctions. However,
\nresearchers have determined that many mental illnesses are probably the result
\nof chemical imbalances in the brain. These imbalances may be inherited, or may
\ndevelop because of excessive stress or substance abuse.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n

It
\nis sometimes easy to forget that our brain, like all of our other organs, is
\nvulnerable to disease. People with mental illnesses often exhibit many types of
\nbehaviors such as extreme sadness and irritability, and in more severe cases,
\nthey may also suffer from hallucinations and total withdrawal.  Instead of
\nreceiving compassion and acceptance, people with mental illnesses may
\nexperience hostility, discrimination, and stigma.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/h3>\n

Common Misconceptions about Mental
\nIllness <\/span><\/h3>\n

 <\/span><\/h3>\n

·        
\n<\/span><\/span>Myth<\/span>:<\/span> <\/span>“Young people and children don’t suffer from mental health problems.”<\/span><\/h3>\n

 <\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

Fact: <\/span><\/strong>It
\nis estimated that more than 6 million young people in America may suffer from a
\nmental health disorder that severely disrupts their ability to function at
\nhome, in school, or in their community.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n