It’s Mental Health Awareness Month

In case you’ve been under a rock and didn’t know – It’s Mental Health Awareness Month. If you are not familiar with us here at GCUC, we strongly believe in advocating and supporting mental health. It’s time that we make a change and destigmatize the conversation around mental health. There is no shame in mental illness- or talking about it.

For over a year now, our founder, Liz Elam, has been opening our conferences with a talk called “Health is the new black”. No this is not just about getting your sweat on daily or eating your greens. It’s about taking care of yourself… fully. Mentally, environmentally as well as physically.

A few years ago we launched #Checkyomate with some of our friends to encourage people to check in on those around them. Pick up the phone and have meaningful and important conversations. We want to make sure that those closest to you know that they have someone they can turn to when life isn’t all sunshine and roses.

We have curated a simple list that you yourself can use or you can share with someone who is struggling. We posted the first edition of this list over a year ago but have continually been adding to it. If you, someone in your community or someone you love is struggling with something serious, please reach out to a trained professional and seek help.

If you don’t feel comfortable talking in person or over the phone, but are comfortable typing your feelings here are some Apps for immediate connection with a trained professional or therapist:

• Operation reach out
• Talkspace
• 7 cups
• Regain
• Break through
• Better help
• TC Teencounseling

Mental health resources for Service members and their families:

• Real warriors live chat
• Military one source
• Veterans crisis line

If you need to relax after a stressful day here are some apps for meditation:

• Headspace
• Insight timer
• Moodnotes
• Smiling mind
• Calm
• The mindfulness app
• Mindbody
• Meditation timer pro
• Calm

Looking for some small things to make you feel joy? Here are some Items we believe increase happiness:

• Happy light
• Adult coloring book
• Gratitude journal
• The transformation game
• Essential oils
• A kick ass water bottle with an inspirational quote
• Stress less cards
• A mantra bracelet
• Animals

Here are some books we feel can lighten your mood:

• You are a badass
• Fail until you don’t
• The happiness project
• Real happiness
• Girl stop Apologizing
• Un Fuck yourself

Want to help others? Get trained to be able to talk to people struggling with mental health:

• MHFA courses locally

Looking for some inspiration on how to talk to someone who might be struggling with mental health? Check out one of these websites:

• Checkyomate
• RUok
• Hate has no home here

You can always find more information at https://www.mentalhealth.gov/ or any of the other resources below.

Other Resources:

• http://www.mhfainternational.org
• http://www.mhfainternational.org/international-mhfa-programs.html
• https://www.cnn.com/2018/06/14/health/teen-creates-life-saving-apps-trnd/index.html
• https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/in-practice/201607/how-help-someone-anxiety
• https://www.calmclinic.com/anxiety/tips-for-friends-family
• https://www.helpguide.org/articles/depression/helping-someone-with-depression.htm

We hope you will join us in destigmatizing mental illness and bringing mental health to the forefront again. It is time that we take charge and take care of those around us. It takes a village.