May is Mental Health Month

Millions of Americans experience symptoms of a mental health condition each year, and the number of people seeking care is trending upward. While a mental health diagnosis may impact an individual’s daily life, it can also have a ripple effect across families, communities and even economies.

We live in a rapidly changing world that can be complex to navigate. About half of Americans can remember a time when we were not constantly connected and it was easier to tune out the noise of the world, while the younger half of the population can’t imagine life without the internet. Modern life can have a significant impact on mental health — for better or for worse. The disturbing imagery in the media we are exposed to today can be deeply unsettling. At the same time, our current technology also allows us to mobilize and provide collective support more efficiently in times of natural disasters or injustice.
And ironically, while our devices make us more connected than ever, loneliness is an increasingly serious public health concern. We are now able to have conversations with friends and family on the other side of the world in real time. However, constant connection also means that we will know if we weren’t invited to a friend’s party down the street. Recent survey data show that more than half of U.S. adults (58%) are lonely.
Finding a sense of calm and focusing on well-being when you are having mental health concerns can be daunting in our fast-paced society. It can be especially challenging to know where to start.
May is Mental Health Month and Wellspring Center for Prevention is raising awareness of the important role mental health plays in our lives. We are encouraging members of the community to take action toward protecting their mental health and overall well-being.

This May, Wellspring will focus their efforts on helping members of the community to:
•    LEARN how modern life affects mental health with new resources to navigate our changing world.
•    ACT by building a coping toolbox to manage stress, difficult emotions, and challenging situations.
•    ADVOCATE to improve mental health for themselves, the ones they love, and their community.

Mental Health America has created a toolkit to help individuals figure out where to start. The toolkit provides free, practical resources for addressing mental health. Go to mhanational.org/may to learn more.
If you think you may be experiencing symptoms of a mental health condition and are unsure of where to start, take a free, private mental health test at mhascreening.org to determine next steps.
Wellspring offers information relating to mental health services. Check out our website at https://wellspringprevention.org/resources/information-and-referral/.
Also, the 988 Lifeline provides 24/7, free and confidential support for people in distress, prevention and crisis resources for you or your loved ones, and best practices for professionals in the United States.
It’s important to remember that working on your mental health takes time. Change won’t happen overnight. Instead, by focusing on small changes, you can move through the stressors of modern life and develop long-term strategies to support yourself — and others — on an ongoing basis.

Some relevant Mental Health Statistics and Facts briefly:
•    23.1% of U.S. adults experienced a mental health condition in 2022.
•    In 2022, 32.9% of U.S. adults experienced both a mental health condition and substance abuse.
•    As of 2020, suicide is the second leading cause of death for U.S. children ages 10 to 14, preceded only by unintentional injury.
•    In 2021, 51.7% of U.S. women received mental health services, while only 40% of men received mental health services.
•    Young adults ages 18 to 25 in the U.S have the highest rate of experiencing any mental health concerns (33.7%) compared to adults aged 26 to 49 years, and the highest rate of serious mental illness (11.4%).
•    Women are diagnosed with serious mental health conditions at higher rates than men, 7% to 4% respectively.
•    The percentage of U.S. adults receiving mental health treatment rose from 19.2% in 2019 to 21.6% in 2021.