Mental Health Awareness

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The last two years have taken quite a toll on many people, especially in the realm of mental health. According to the World Health Organization, 2020 saw a 25% increase in the world’s population suffering from anxiety and depression. In 2020, 45% of adults in the U.S. reported that the pandemic negatively affected their mental health.

It is pertinent then that May is Mental Health Awareness Month. What exactly do we mean when we refer to mental health? Teresa Deck, Clinical Director of the Green Shoe Foundation, defines mental health as “the ability to cope with daily challenges by having the mental capacity and stability to regulate our thoughts, feelings, and behaviors, relate to ourselves and others in intimate ways, and to experience that feeling of joy when the true connection with others happens.” Teresa also says, “mental health looks like living a life of acting in balance, loving oneself, setting self-loving boundaries, taking care of our needs and wants in healthy ways, and living with joy and authentic spontaneity.” To read more of Teresa’s article, “What is Mental Health,” please click here.

Self-love is hard for some to recognize and practice. Many of us have been taught (either culturally or through traumatic experiences) that we must constantly place others and their needs ahead of our own. Self-love is appreciating oneself in ways that support our physical, psychological, and spiritual needs. There are some specific ways we can do this. We can: 
  

• Practice mindfulness 

• Part of mental health is understanding how we think and feel and be aware of our wants and needs. It is important to slow down and connect with our thoughts, feelings, and bodies. We can practice mindfulness through prayer, meditation, or even journaling.  

• Listen to our bodies 

• We can connect with our bodies by noticing important signals they may be sending. If you are anxious, you might feel nervous or tense, have an increased heart rate, begin sweating, have trouble concentrating, or even feel fatigued. You might hold tension in certain areas of your body, such as a headache, tense muscles in the neck, shoulders, or back, etc. 

• Make space for healthy habits 

• An easy and important tool of self-regulation is breathing. Simple breathing exercises can regulate your heart rate and nervous system. Take a moment to breathe and listen to the sensations of your body. It is also important to prioritize yourself. Take a time-out from the business of your everyday life. Sit down and read a good book. Walk around your neighborhood. Schedule a weekend trip. Whatever you choose to do, be sure to remove things that might try to distract you from your self-care, such as work emails, social media, etc.  
  

At Green Shoe, Mental Health is not just something we teach, but something we strive to live and breathe. Whether it is spending time with family, practicing yoga, playing disc golf, or just spending quiet time in nature, we work to carve out time to focus on ourselves.  During the month of May (and every month) the team wants to challenge everyone to find their own path for self-care and what Mental Health care looks like. 

If you, or if someone you know, needs help with mental health we encourage you to connect with us at info@greenshoe.org or please reach out to one of our many community resources.

You are not in this alone.