As some of you may not know, May is Mental Health Awareness Month. The purpose is to raise awareness of those who are living with mental or behavioral issues. It’s also meant to reduce the stigma that is associated with mental health.

Associations like the ACA (American Counseling Association) joins the national movement to also help raise awareness about mental health. The ACA enhances the quality of life within society through the development of professional counselors. The association uses the profession and practice of counseling to promote respect for human dignity and diversity. This May let us be able to provide support for those struggling with mental illness. 1 in 5 people will experience mental illness over the course of their lifetimes, everyone will face challenges that can and will affect their mental health. That is where licensed professional counselors play a critical role in providing care for those who are facing mental health-related problems. However, it is up to us as young adults to be able to provide a listening ear to anyone we may know if they are experiencing mental health issues. More importantly, we must be able to reach out to loved ones or even counselors if we experience mental health-related issues ourselves.

Nevertheless, this May Terri Keese, Menchville’s student support specialist.  is asking students to pay attention to their mental health. On Monday,  “Mindful Monday,” students should be mindful when talking to someone who may be going through mental health issues. “Think about it” Tuesday reminds us to stay motivated even when we are at our lowest moments.  On “Wellness Wednesday,”  students should know it’s ok to take time out of their day to take care of their well-being. Not taking time for yourself can lead to mental health-related problems if neglected. The moral of this day is to remind us that we should always remember to take care of ourselves even through the midst of our hectic lives. On Thursday, “Thankful Thursday,”  be thankful, as it can benefit one’s mental health, along with showing thanks to others. And lastly, on”Fun Friday”  set aside time for yourself, to just simply have fun. It’s a well-known fact that school can cause stress and be overwhelming for many students. However, throughout all of the stress, we must always remember that our mental and emotional well-being is way more important. That is why all of the themes mentioned play an important role when it comes to high school students and mental health.

Overall,  this month we should all be aware of the signs and symptoms when it comes to mental health issues. We should all make it a point to be aware of our own mental health as well, so we can have positive mindsets despite all the stresses we may deal with. Mental health is a very important topic that many ignore and don’t seem to address most of the time. However, the more we raise awareness and start to acknowledge mental health, the more we can help others and ourselves with any difficulties we may experience along the way. If you are experiencing any mental health-related issues and you want to talk to someone, you should contact your guidance counselor or Mrs. Keesee.