Hello my lovely planetary… well, around the house travelers!
I hope you are all doing well, staying healthy and doing your part during these times! I am so excited about May because it is Mental Health Awarenesses Month! I have an abundance of Mental Health information to share with you all along with my own personal stories because I truly believe transparency and emotional vulnerability is the most important asset to mental health!
First and foremost to kick off this month of mental health I wanted to drop a few resources your way that can truly help you during this time. There is an abundance out there but these are a few of my favorites that have truly helped me cope with my stress and anxiety along with provided me understanding on my emotions!
Mental Health America
I love Mental Health America because not only does it have abundant resources. There is a mental health screening you can take (LINKED HERE) on there website that is completely confidential and helps you understand where you are emotionally and at the end provides you with resources tailored to you. They offer 10 different mental health screenings to determine whether you are experiencing symptoms of a mental health condition. I believe this is the best place to start because of the variety of information. It has anything and everything you could possibly need when looking for information about how to manage your mental health.
Finding The Positive
If you are in need of positivity, strength and light then IChooseBeauty.org is a great resource for you. This helped me change my perspective, instead of harping on the little things that would begin eating away at me and move me into a place of anxiety, I have started to look for the beauty in EVERYTHING! This website helped me find the beauty in even the littlest thing because it is important to fill yourself up with focusing on the positives.
Owning Your Feelings
First and foremost, you are not alone. ThisIsMyBrave.org is my go to location for speakers and people like you and me to share our stories. They have a mission to bring mental illness and addiction out of the shadows and into the spotlight. I love this platform because it creates a sense of community, story telling and coping / resiliency. This platform also has resources within it that are great for anyone that wants to do more reading or understanding.
Eliminating Toxic Influences
National Domestic Violence Hotline: Call: 1-800-799-SAFE(7233) or TEXT: LOVEIS to 22522 for a safer connection to the Hotline.
Connecting With Others
During this time connecting with others has been difficult. How do I check in on my friends to make sure they are okay? How do I tell them how I am feeling? MakeSureYourFriendsAreOkay.com is the perfect resource for They are building a community that encourages you too have meaningful discussions with people you care about. This is great for teens and young adults because they are all over social media also (@MakeSureYourFriendsAreOkay) + they have some dope clothes!
Then there is HappyTheMovement.com Happy was created to ensure that every person, at every time of day and night, feels heard, understood, comforted, encouraged and important. They have an App where you can Receive support and encouragement from the most compassionate people in the country 24/7. You talk, they listen, no judgement. It is available for Apple and Android!
Lastly, the YMHProject.org The Youth Mental Health Project puts an emphasis on the mental health of children, teens, and young adults, they believe that educating, supporting, and empowering families and communities to understand and care for the mental health of young people is crucial to the health of a compassionate society. What I love about this site is that it has webinars for parents to watch and to help their children with coping mechanisms. They have also created access to peer recommended resources for local communities.
Mental Health Conditions
You are more than your diagnosis.MoreThanMyDiagnosis.com has created a safe place for people to share stories and advice from people that have mental health issues or care for someone who does. Every individual’s health experience can be different. On this website, participants have shared their personal experiences which makes it the most real and relatable space.
Then there is ChoicesInRecovery.com this has information for people with Schizophrenia, Schizoaffective and Bipolar Disorder and their caregivers. There is also a tab for mental health. It is important to create a base of people that are going to be there and love you through the mental health journey. This website helps you identify and create a strong foundation of people you can trust.
National Suicide Prevention Lifeline USA:
1-800-273-8255 this hotline is 24/7, free and confidential support for people in distress. You are loved, valued and needed by so many.
I hope you find these resources helpful and can use some of them in your life! I am praying for all of you and please know how loved, valued and appreciated you all are! Sending you more love than you even know!
Much Love,
Grace Madeline Dirig