May is Mental Health Awareness Month, a worldwide initiative to raise awareness about mental health and reduce the stigma surrounding mental illness. Counslr joins this effort every day to help improve the accessibility of quality mental health support in order to reach the traditionally unreachable and give people more agency in prioritizing their mental health.
First Things First: Mental Illness vs Mental Health
Though mental illness and mental health are often used interchangeably, the terms do not mean the same thing.
Mental illness refers to a group of diagnosable mental health disorders that affect emotion, thinking, or behavior (or a combination of these).1 Mental illnesses are among the leading health concerns in the country.2 Nearly 50 million Americans are living with a mental health condition,3 and more than 50% of Americans will be diagnosed with a mental illness or disorder at some point in their lifetime.2
Mental health, on the other hand, refers to emotional, psychological, and social well-being.2 It affects how we think, feel, and act. Someone with good mental health is able to engage in productive activities, maintain healthy relationships, and can effectively adapt and cope with adversity. However, someone’s mental health may take a turn for the worse if their demands exceed their coping abilities and resources.
There is No Health Without Mental Health
In order to help manage the mental health crisis that is happening in our country today, it is critical to include mental health as an equally important component of overall health and wellbeing as physical medical conditions. In fact, physical and mental health are intricately connected, with the condition of one often affecting the other. For instance, depression increases the risk for chronic conditions like diabetes and heart disease. On the other hand, chronic conditions can increase the risk of mental illness.2
Like the care we seek and provide for physical illness, we must prioritize our mental health by practicing self-care, seeking professional help when needed, and supporting those around us who may be struggling. Normalizing mental health and reducing the stigma of receiving treatment is essential to the overall effectiveness of mental wellness in America.
Mental Health Challenges Know No Boundaries
While not everyone will experience a mental illness in their lifetime, everyone—regardless of age, race, gender, or socioeconomic status—will face mental health challenges from time to time. Things like stress, anxiety, and depression are common struggles that people face at home, in school, and in the workplace. In fact, the U.S. Surgeon General recently issued new guidelines on how workplace conditions may be at the center of our nation’s mental health crisis.4 As a result, more organizations are acknowledging the important connection between workplace conditions and well-being. For example, later this month Counslr’s Josh Liss (CEO) and Naomi Angoff-Chedd (Director of Support Services) will be joining former NBA player John Wallace and UBS’s David Nass for a CRE Finance Council’s webinar, “Mental Health Awareness: Reducing the Stigma,” to discuss reducing the mental health stigma, seeking necessary support, and ways to address common stressors in the workplace.
Accessibility is Key
While mental illness affects people in all places and of all races and ethnicities, some groups are often less likely to receive proper mental health care due to systemic barriers. For example, in a compelling essay, “Creating a Community of Black Mental Health,” Counslr counselor Diamond Thaxton, LPMHC, addresses many of the contributing factors that prevent Black Americans from seeking or receiving necessary mental health services, including access to affordable care, underrepresentation, racial trauma and biases. Access to mental health resources is the key to creating a culturally competent mental health care system.
24/7/365 Commitment to Mental Health Awareness
This Mental Health Awareness Month and every day, Counslr aims to prioritize mental wellness and reduce the stigma and inconvenience associated with seeking help. Stay tuned this month as we further explore the topic of mental health in our communities, schools, workplaces, and beyond.
References
- “What Is Mental Illness?” Psychiatry.org - What Is Mental Illness?, https://www.psychiatry.org/patients-families/what-is-mental-illness.
- “About Mental Health.” Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 25 Apr. 2023, https://www.cdc.gov/mentalhealth/learn/index.htm#:~:text=More%20than%2050%25%20will%20be,some%20point%20in%20their%20lifetime.&text=1%20in%205%20Americans%20will,illness%20in%20a%20given%20year.&text=1%20in%205%20children%2C%20either,a%20seriously%20debilitating%20mental%20illness.
- “Mental Health in America - Printed Reports.” Mental Health America, https://mhanational.org/issues/mental-health-america-printed-reports#:~:text=Nationwide%2C%20almost%20one%20in%20five,one%20race%2C%20at%2012%25.
- Office of the Assistant Secretary for Health (OASH). “U.S. Surgeon General Releases New Framework for Mental Health & Well-Being in the Workplace.” HHS.gov, 20 Oct. 2022, https://www.hhs.gov/about/news/2022/10/20/us-surgeon-general-releases-new-framework-mental-health-well-being-workplace.html.
May is Mental Health Awareness Month, a worldwide initiative to raise awareness about mental health and reduce the stigma surrounding mental illness. Counslr joins this effort every day to help improve the accessibility of quality mental health support in order to reach the traditionally unreachable and give people more agency in prioritizing their mental health.
First Things First: Mental Illness vs Mental Health
Though mental illness and mental health are often used interchangeably, the terms do not mean the same thing.
Mental illness refers to a group of diagnosable mental health disorders that affect emotion, thinking, or behavior (or a combination of these).1 Mental illnesses are among the leading health concerns in the country.2 Nearly 50 million Americans are living with a mental health condition,3 and more than 50% of Americans will be diagnosed with a mental illness or disorder at some point in their lifetime.2
Mental health, on the other hand, refers to emotional, psychological, and social well-being.2 It affects how we think, feel, and act. Someone with good mental health is able to engage in productive activities, maintain healthy relationships, and can effectively adapt and cope with adversity. However, someone’s mental health may take a turn for the worse if their demands exceed their coping abilities and resources.
There is No Health Without Mental Health
In order to help manage the mental health crisis that is happening in our country today, it is critical to include mental health as an equally important component of overall health and wellbeing as physical medical conditions. In fact, physical and mental health are intricately connected, with the condition of one often affecting the other. For instance, depression increases the risk for chronic conditions like diabetes and heart disease. On the other hand, chronic conditions can increase the risk of mental illness.2
Like the care we seek and provide for physical illness, we must prioritize our mental health by practicing self-care, seeking professional help when needed, and supporting those around us who may be struggling. Normalizing mental health and reducing the stigma of receiving treatment is essential to the overall effectiveness of mental wellness in America.
Mental Health Challenges Know No Boundaries
While not everyone will experience a mental illness in their lifetime, everyone—regardless of age, race, gender, or socioeconomic status—will face mental health challenges from time to time. Things like stress, anxiety, and depression are common struggles that people face at home, in school, and in the workplace. In fact, the U.S. Surgeon General recently issued new guidelines on how workplace conditions may be at the center of our nation’s mental health crisis.4 As a result, more organizations are acknowledging the important connection between workplace conditions and well-being. For example, later this month Counslr’s Josh Liss (CEO) and Naomi Angoff-Chedd (Director of Support Services) will be joining former NBA player John Wallace and UBS’s David Nass for a CRE Finance Council’s webinar, “Mental Health Awareness: Reducing the Stigma,” to discuss reducing the mental health stigma, seeking necessary support, and ways to address common stressors in the workplace.
Accessibility is Key
While mental illness affects people in all places and of all races and ethnicities, some groups are often less likely to receive proper mental health care due to systemic barriers. For example, in a compelling essay, “Creating a Community of Black Mental Health,” Counslr counselor Diamond Thaxton, LPMHC, addresses many of the contributing factors that prevent Black Americans from seeking or receiving necessary mental health services, including access to affordable care, underrepresentation, racial trauma and biases. Access to mental health resources is the key to creating a culturally competent mental health care system.
24/7/365 Commitment to Mental Health Awareness
This Mental Health Awareness Month and every day, Counslr aims to prioritize mental wellness and reduce the stigma and inconvenience associated with seeking help. Stay tuned this month as we further explore the topic of mental health in our communities, schools, workplaces, and beyond.
References
- “What Is Mental Illness?” Psychiatry.org - What Is Mental Illness?, https://www.psychiatry.org/patients-families/what-is-mental-illness.
- “About Mental Health.” Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 25 Apr. 2023, https://www.cdc.gov/mentalhealth/learn/index.htm#:~:text=More%20than%2050%25%20will%20be,some%20point%20in%20their%20lifetime.&text=1%20in%205%20Americans%20will,illness%20in%20a%20given%20year.&text=1%20in%205%20children%2C%20either,a%20seriously%20debilitating%20mental%20illness.
- “Mental Health in America - Printed Reports.” Mental Health America, https://mhanational.org/issues/mental-health-america-printed-reports#:~:text=Nationwide%2C%20almost%20one%20in%20five,one%20race%2C%20at%2012%25.
- Office of the Assistant Secretary for Health (OASH). “U.S. Surgeon General Releases New Framework for Mental Health & Well-Being in the Workplace.” HHS.gov, 20 Oct. 2022, https://www.hhs.gov/about/news/2022/10/20/us-surgeon-general-releases-new-framework-mental-health-well-being-workplace.html.
Raising Mental Health Awareness 24/7/365
May is Mental Health Awareness Month, a worldwide initiative to raise awareness about mental health and reduce the stigma surrounding mental illness. Counslr joins this effort every day to help improve the accessibility of quality mental health support in order to reach the traditionally unreachable and give people more agency in prioritizing their mental health.
First Things First: Mental Illness vs Mental Health
Though mental illness and mental health are often used interchangeably, the terms do not mean the same thing.
Mental illness refers to a group of diagnosable mental health disorders that affect emotion, thinking, or behavior (or a combination of these).1 Mental illnesses are among the leading health concerns in the country.2 Nearly 50 million Americans are living with a mental health condition,3 and more than 50% of Americans will be diagnosed with a mental illness or disorder at some point in their lifetime.2
Mental health, on the other hand, refers to emotional, psychological, and social well-being.2 It affects how we think, feel, and act. Someone with good mental health is able to engage in productive activities, maintain healthy relationships, and can effectively adapt and cope with adversity. However, someone’s mental health may take a turn for the worse if their demands exceed their coping abilities and resources.
There is No Health Without Mental Health
In order to help manage the mental health crisis that is happening in our country today, it is critical to include mental health as an equally important component of overall health and wellbeing as physical medical conditions. In fact, physical and mental health are intricately connected, with the condition of one often affecting the other. For instance, depression increases the risk for chronic conditions like diabetes and heart disease. On the other hand, chronic conditions can increase the risk of mental illness.2
Like the care we seek and provide for physical illness, we must prioritize our mental health by practicing self-care, seeking professional help when needed, and supporting those around us who may be struggling. Normalizing mental health and reducing the stigma of receiving treatment is essential to the overall effectiveness of mental wellness in America.
Mental Health Challenges Know No Boundaries
While not everyone will experience a mental illness in their lifetime, everyone—regardless of age, race, gender, or socioeconomic status—will face mental health challenges from time to time. Things like stress, anxiety, and depression are common struggles that people face at home, in school, and in the workplace. In fact, the U.S. Surgeon General recently issued new guidelines on how workplace conditions may be at the center of our nation’s mental health crisis.4 As a result, more organizations are acknowledging the important connection between workplace conditions and well-being. For example, later this month Counslr’s Josh Liss (CEO) and Naomi Angoff-Chedd (Director of Support Services) will be joining former NBA player John Wallace and UBS’s David Nass for a CRE Finance Council’s webinar, “Mental Health Awareness: Reducing the Stigma,” to discuss reducing the mental health stigma, seeking necessary support, and ways to address common stressors in the workplace.
Accessibility is Key
While mental illness affects people in all places and of all races and ethnicities, some groups are often less likely to receive proper mental health care due to systemic barriers. For example, in a compelling essay, “Creating a Community of Black Mental Health,” Counslr counselor Diamond Thaxton, LPMHC, addresses many of the contributing factors that prevent Black Americans from seeking or receiving necessary mental health services, including access to affordable care, underrepresentation, racial trauma and biases. Access to mental health resources is the key to creating a culturally competent mental health care system.
24/7/365 Commitment to Mental Health Awareness
This Mental Health Awareness Month and every day, Counslr aims to prioritize mental wellness and reduce the stigma and inconvenience associated with seeking help. Stay tuned this month as we further explore the topic of mental health in our communities, schools, workplaces, and beyond.
References
- “What Is Mental Illness?” Psychiatry.org - What Is Mental Illness?, https://www.psychiatry.org/patients-families/what-is-mental-illness.
- “About Mental Health.” Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 25 Apr. 2023, https://www.cdc.gov/mentalhealth/learn/index.htm#:~:text=More%20than%2050%25%20will%20be,some%20point%20in%20their%20lifetime.&text=1%20in%205%20Americans%20will,illness%20in%20a%20given%20year.&text=1%20in%205%20children%2C%20either,a%20seriously%20debilitating%20mental%20illness.
- “Mental Health in America - Printed Reports.” Mental Health America, https://mhanational.org/issues/mental-health-america-printed-reports#:~:text=Nationwide%2C%20almost%20one%20in%20five,one%20race%2C%20at%2012%25.
- Office of the Assistant Secretary for Health (OASH). “U.S. Surgeon General Releases New Framework for Mental Health & Well-Being in the Workplace.” HHS.gov, 20 Oct. 2022, https://www.hhs.gov/about/news/2022/10/20/us-surgeon-general-releases-new-framework-mental-health-well-being-workplace.html.
