WELLNESS WEDNESDAYS: National Mental Health Awareness Month

“Let us always meet each other with smile, for the smile is the beginning of love.”  

                                                                                                     --Mother Teresa

Did you know...One in five is the best estimate of the number of adults with any diagnosable mental disorder within the past year?

May is National Mental Health Awareness Month.  If one in five people have a mental health disorder, then the number of people indirectly affected by depression, bipolar, schizophrenia, anxiety disorders and the other conditions that fall under the “mental health” umbrella is much larger.

When a child is overweight or obese, there can be psychological consequences resulting from being ostracized, bullied, and made fun of by their peers.  These can have lifelong consequences, including depression.

The fact is that it can be downright uncomfortable to talk with someone who has an anxiety disorder or who is depressed.  In working with thousands of people with diabetes, I have talked with many people struggling with depression caused by uncontrolled high blood sugars.   Sometimes it is their family members who I meet first.  They are often the ones who ask for help.

The worst thing we can do is ignore someone who may be struggling with depression.  Be a friend and open a door. Talk.  Listen. Smile.  Connect them with help.

To learn more, go to National Institute of Mental Health at nimh.nih.gov or click here.

   

In gratitude,

Nancy Heinrich

Founder, Growing Healthy Kids, Inc.