Mental Health Awareness Week;

Happy Wednesday, you've made it half way through the week woohoo!

Today is Day 3 of Mental Health Awareness Week! Today we are going to be discussing ways to get help and who to go to for help.

I know that not everyone is lucky enough to have a "go to" person, but if you can, try to find this person in your life. I've had a bad habit of holding in all my emotions and not really talking about them and just internalizing them, which only made my situation worse. But having a person you can go to, no strings attached is just what some people need sometimes. My "go to" person is my boyfriend. He's the one that I can go to about anything and he listens and helps me when I need it. Having him in my life has really saved me from deep depression stages and he's really helped me see that there is good in the world. So, my advice to you is to find this person in your life. It doesn't have to be a significant other; it could be a parent, friend, co worker, anyone really. Just find that person that will listen and you can trust in a situation where you might need more help than just someone to talk to.

In terms of more extreme cases of needing help, I've gathered a few suggestions from healthline. (https://www.healthline.com/health/mental-health-resources#emergency-help)

If you are dealing with extreme cases of depression, anxiety, or any other mental health disorder and feel like harming yourself or others, PLEASE call the suicide prevention hotline at 800-273-8255. This hotline is available 24/7, whenever it is needed. If you don't have anyone to go to and find yourself in this situation this number is available to help you.

If you are someone intervening for someone else suffering from these issues, you can also call 911 for local services and immediate help.

For more extreme cases that aren't emergent, there are a number of services available to help.

• Primary Care Provider--- this is your regular doctor that most people see yearly. They can help you identify a certain specialist that will best suit your disorder.

• Therapists--- many different types, usually in specific areas (ie- Women, children, depression, anxiety, etc). They help diagnose and treat many different mental illnesses. In order for them to prescribe medication, they must be a physician or nurse practitioner.

• Psychiatrist--- these are the therapists that prescribe medication. Usually medication is the typical route of treatment of mental illnesses. Some people require it, some don't. It all depends on the person and their situation. Many times they don't offer counseling, just there to prescribe the medication as needed.

• Nurse Psychotherapists--- these are therapists that have an advanced nursing degree used specifically for psychological treatment.

• Psychologists--- these are the doctors that offer therapy. They can also give psychological testing such as IQ tests and personality tests to better treat their patients. They help you manage through counseling or other types of therapy. Usually they cannot prescribe medication.

Other types of providers:

• Marriage and family therapists--- specific to those families and couples who are having issues. They cannot provide medication, but usually work with someone who can.

• Peer specialists--- these are people who have experienced and recovered from mental health disorders. They help those who are in the midst of their illness and help coach and guide them through. This can be helpful to some. Instead of having a doctor coach and tell you what to do, you have someone who has actually been through and experienced the same thing that you are going through.

• Mental Health Counselor--- these providers offer ways to cope with difficult life experiences like grief, relationship issues, and mental health conditions. Some work for hospitals, residential centers, or private practice. They do not have a license to give medication.

• Alcohol and Drug abuse counselors--- specific to those dealing with alcohol and drug abuse. they help with modifying behaviors, avoiding triggers, and dealing with withdrawal symptoms. They can refer you to family doctor for medication.

• Veteran's counseling--- specific to Veterans dealing with the repercussions of military time. They help manage mental health conditions, transition from military to civilian life, and cope with negative emotions.

• Pastoral counseling--- a religious counselor trained to provide counseling. they combine psychological methods with religious training. Spirituality is very important to some people and helps them recover quicker and easier.

• Social Worker--- Therapists who work in clinics, homes, schools, hospitals, etc. who have a master's degree in social work. They are trained on individual and group counseling.

So, moral of the story is no matter what you are dealing with, there's always someone there to help. You don't deserve to go through life dealing with unwanted feelings and emotions. You deserve to get help and live and nice, long, fulfilling life.

If you are dealing with any sort of discomfort or sadness, please reach out. Even if you don't feel like it, there are people who care about you and love you and don't want to see you hurting. Please ask for help before it's too late.

Remember, be kind to your mind.

Check back tomorrow for more in depth types of therapy and how to find what's right for you.

Thanks for being here!

xx Loryn