May Mental Health Reminders to Remember Year Round

While May has been Mental Health Awareness Month, the Taney County Health Department issues a reminder about how to deal with these issues year round.

The complete release below is from the TCHD:

Mental health issues are not unique, in fact, 1 in 4 people will experience a mental health illness during their lifetime. Mental health conditions include depression, anxiety, and schizophrenia, and account for more disability than any other illness including cancer and heart disease.
Over 1 in 10 youth in the US are experiencing depression that is severely impairing their ability to function at school or work, at home, with family, or in their social life.

“Mental health is health.” states Kara Miller, Community Health Educator with the Taney County Health Department. “If we don’t feel right physically, we see a doctor. We should see a doctor when we don’t feel right mentally.”

Warning signs of a mental health issue in adults and adolescents can include:
• Excessive worrying or fear
• Feeling extremely sad or low
• Avoiding friends and social activities
• Not able to carry out daily activities or handle daily problems and stress
• Thinking about suicide

Mental health conditions can also begin to develop in young children. The most obvious symptoms are behavioral and can include:
• Changes in school performance
• Fighting to avoid school or going to bed
• Frequent nightmares
• Frequent temper tantrums

Here are some ideas to help improve your mental health
• Spend time with family and friends
• Exercise, even a short walk can improve your mental health
• Eat healthy increase your fruit and vegetable intake
• Get out in nature, sunshine can be good for your mental health

If you or someone you know is experiencing a mental health crisis, call the suicide prevention hotline at 988.

For more information contact the Taney County Health Department at 417-334-4544, visit our website at www.taneycohealth.org, or like our FaceBook, Instagram and Pinterest pages.