may is mental health awareness month

hello cherubs!

this month is mental health awareness month.

over 50 million Americans are living with a mental illness. a mental illness is a condition that has a negative effect on an individual's thinking, feeling, and behaving.

examples of mental illness include: anxiety disorders, depressive disorders, eating disorders, PTSD, OCD, personality disorders, and psychotic disorders.

causes of mental illness can be triggered by psychological, biological, and social factors. .

psychological factors can include (but aren't limited to): abuse, neglect, loss, or being involved in a serious accident or crime.

biological factors include (but aren't limited to): brain injury or neurological condition, or long-term health conditions.

and lastly, social factors include (but aren't limited to): experiencing racism or discrimination, being the victim of domestic violence or bullying, and drug or alcohol misuse.

***these three factor categories were provided from the Rape Crisis Society***

while there is no sure way to prevent mental illnesses from happening, there are some precautions that you can take in order to lessen them:

according to Mayo Clinic, steps of prevention can include:

• pay attention to warning signs: learn your triggers and plan what to do when they flare. if these warning signs occur, contact a doctor immediately. also, have family members or friends watch for the warning signs as well.

• go to annual doctor visits: don't skip appointments. if a problem arrises, get seen as soon as possible.

• get help when you need it: mental illness symptoms only become worse. do not wait until they become worse to get help. long-term treatment can help lessen relapse and reoccurrence.

• take good care of yourself: getting enough sleep, healthy eating, exercise, and routine are very important to both you physical health and mental health. talk to your primary doctor if you have any questions.

things to remember when you have a mental illness:

you have a mental illness, but that title doesn't consume you

mental illness is not a personal failure

it's okay if you need pills to function and survive

reaching out for help is brave

mental illness is not a choice, but recovery is

healing is not linear

don't be ashamed of your mental illness

at the end of the day, you deserve to live a happy, healthy life. full of adventure and without fear or worry of the unknown.

whether you can do this with or without medication, you deserve it.

if you take medication, it doesn't make you any less of a person. you deserve happiness just as much as anyone else.

asking for help isn't a sign of weakness. in order for you to life your life to the fullest, sometimes help is needed and that's okay.

remember, be kind and act with love always.

I'll see you in the next one.

xx Loryn