Mental Health Awareness Month began was designed to bring attention to mental wellbeing. Millions of Americans live with mental health conditions that impact how they feel, think, live, and manage both the good days and challenging days of life. Though there is plenty of conversation about mental health and the importance of diagnosing and treating conditions, there is still a stigma that surrounds anything related to mental wellbeing.
Shining the Spotlight on Mental Health and Overall Wellness
If you have struggled with mental health challenges, you know it can be difficult to find equilibrium and peace every day. People who have depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder, or other mental health afflictions live day to day with a chronic condition, sometimes at a loss for how to deal with it. These diagnoses may be considered “invisible” ailments, but that doesn’t make them any less authentic, realistic, or difficult to manage – and many people do react positively to the right treatment.
As your doctor, I recognize that the health of your brain and soul impacts body wellness too. Anxiety disorders, for example, can lead to digestive disorders, chronic headaches, and poor fitness and nutrition. Mind and body go together.
Honoring Everyone’s Mental Health Needs
Taking a month to honor mental health awareness helps reduce the stigma around this type of healthcare and empowers people to get help when they need it. Simply talking about mental wellness can foster understanding, build empathy, and develop compassion. It is important to normalize mental health needs and help others see that it is a legitimate part of wellness.
You don’t need a diagnosed medical condition to focus on mental health and wellness. Stress, burnout, grief, worry – all these feelings are part of a person’s mental makeup and deserve as much attention and care as an official mental health condition. Working with a doctor who focuses on wellness from the inside out is the ideal starting place for supportive mental health care and overall well-being.
Respecting Mental Health Needs in the Workplace
No matter what type of work you do, you will contribute more effectively to the business at hand when you are a happy, healthy employee, manager, or boss. Highlighting mental health in the workplace creates happier employees and better retention rates, and shows employees that:
- Their mental health matters, whether their struggles are temporary or ongoing.
- They work in a trusted, safe, inclusive space among supportive people.
- Minimizing stress leads to improved focus and higher productivity.
Ongoing Care for Chronic Conditions
Mental health awareness comes in all shapes and sizes – above all, it’s essential to speak about mental health and do so with compassion and kindness. People who find themselves unwell because of changes within their mind need support and good care. You can find that with me, Dr. Jon Swetech, and my medical team at Swetech Medical Center. Schedule an appointment today to discuss whatever is on your mind.
Nothing in this blog is official medical advice. See your doctor for customized care.
