Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department announcement.
Why devote an entire month to mental health?
You or someone you care about will likely face behavioral health challenges at some point. While 1 in 5 people experience a mental illness during their lifetime, everyone faces challenges that affect their mental health.
Each year, mental health organizations like Mental Health America and NAMI spotlight mental well-being in May. Mental health has become part of our daily conversation, but it can be an overwhelming topic. That’s why for Mental Health Month this year, Mental Health America is getting back to basics.
We can change the conversation about behavioral health. How we talk about it may help those who need care feel better about seeking care. Each week this month, we’ll share mental health resources that can help you or someone you love.
Good mental health promotes overall health.
Mental health challenges affect all of us. Mental health is an important part of your overall health and well-being.
Everyone should be able to get help when they need it. Poor mental health weighs on families, communities and even our economy. In fact, left untreated, depression is as costly as heart disease or AIDS to the U.S. economy:
- $51 billion in work absences and lost productivity.
- $26 billion in direct treatment costs.
Social, cultural and historical factors often harm the mental health of people who have traditionally been marginalized. These communities experience racism and social injustices, which leads to a heavier mental health burden than others may carry.
Taking care of symptoms early is critically important for your overall health.
A quick way to decide if you need help.
Don’t wait until small problems become big problems. Know the mental health warning signs and get help as early as possible.
Life can be a challenge, but every day shouldn’t feel hard or out of your control. If it does, a quick screening can help you decide if you face a mental health condition.
Screening only takes a few minutes and can help catch problems early. When you’re done, you’ll learn what steps to take next.
Hope and recovery are possible for everyone.
If you experience stigma for your behavioral health concerns, you might feel lonely, isolated and hopeless. That’s dangerous. You should feel confident asking for help so you can get the services you need when you need them.
Everyone deserves good behavioral health, and everyone can recover. We all need hope and support from family, friends or the community.
If you or someone you know is having a non-life threatening but urgent crisis, contact the Pierce County Crisis Line at (800) 576-7764 or text 741-741. For any life-threatening crisis, call 911.
Learn more about behavioral health and find resources at tpchd.org/behavioralhealth.
