By Danielle Daughtry, Federation for Children with Special Needs
May is Mental Health Awareness Month! It is all about bringing awareness to and promoting mental wellness, self-care, and trying to reduce stigma. Over a billion people globally experience mental health challenges. It’s much more common than we think, which is why it is so important to normalize having conversations about things that may be affecting our emotional, social, and psychological well-being.
Life can feel overwhelming sometimes, so it is essential to prioritize your mental health. Poor mental health can affect things such as sleep, friendships and relationships, the work that you do, and even your daily functioning.
Incorporating self-care in your daily or weekly routine can be simple. Here are some examples of self-care:
- Going for a walk, running, or engaging in a form of physical activity
- Eating meals that are balanced and help to nourish your body
- Getting a good night’s rest
- Saying daily affirmations
- Journaling (both prompted and freewrite)
- Practicing mindfulness and meditation
- Connecting with others, like friends and family
I also like to practice what is referred to as the 3-3-3 rule to help center and ground myself. It’s a great tool to use, especially if you are someone who battles with anxiety. I first look for three objects (it could be a bag, a dog, and a flower), next I would listen for 3 sounds (a car driving by, a bird chirping, water running), lastly I would move 3 body parts (clenching my hands, rolling my shoulders, tapping my feet). This tactic is beneficial because it helps to take your mind off what may be making you anxious.
This specific tool, as well as others, was the topic of conversation at our last session of Connecting YOUth, our monthly virtual youth chat. This series takes place on the second Tuesday of every month from 5:30–6:30 pm. We wanted to make sure that we not only acknowledged that it is Mental Health Awareness Month, but that we created a safe space for youth and young adults to express any mental health challenges they may be facing. Part of the conversation also included brainstorming ways to support others facing mental health challenges, as well as how they would like to be supported when going through their own. The young people who attended this session were very engaged and truly enjoyed supporting each other as we navigated this difficult yet necessary conversation.
If you, your youth, or someone you know is facing mental health challenges and are in need of support, here are a few resources that can help:
- NAMI Massachusetts: namimass.org
- Parent/Professional Advocacy League (PPAL): ppal.net
- Massachusetts Behavioral Health Help Line: masshelpline.com