Health

BEE HEARD: World Mental Health Day is next week!


Photo Credit: Native Connections

Oct. 10 is World Mental Health Day! 

It is encouraging that mental health gets international attention on this day. Change takes time and a lot of us can probably remember not so long ago when no one talked about mental health. Physical health has long since overshadowed mental-emotional health and it has taken decades for stigma about mental health challenges to gradually recede so that communities can have honest and shame-free conversations about what it means to be well. So, this is something to be happy about.  

By recognizing World Mental Health Day, we recognize an opportunity to not only think about our own mental health and what we can each do to take care of ourselves, but also what we can do to help others: our kids, siblings, parents, grandparents, aunties and uncles or neighbors. Recognizing the importance of mental-emotional health means remembering that health is always about our relationship with family and community. Human beings are truly social beings with nervous systems wired for connection with all our relations.  

Our current mental health system oftentimes focuses on individuals and their own individual needs. This is important and yet we also need to give equal attention to the social and environmental relationships that allow full flourishing. For example, during the COVID-19 pandemic, we learned as a global community how and why social isolation was so detrimental to mental health. Even the surgeon general defined “loneliness” as a risk factor equal to if not worse than smoking. In many ways, communities are still feeling the reverberations of those years. Social engagement and person-to-person contact has been slow to recover.  

Thinking about the importance of social, environmental and holistic relationships, I like using the metaphor of a plant’s health because we don’t typically judge or stigmatize plants the way we do humans. When a plant starts to look like it isn’t doing so great, we don’t tend to think that there’s something wrong with that plant, nor do we tend to scold the plant or tell it to “buck up” or “get its life together.” Rather, we wonder if it isn’t getting enough of what it needs to flourish: plenty of sunlight, water, or fertilizer (or maybe it’s getting too much). If we take that approach to humans, too, we would find that a person’s environment (relationships, housing, good food, love, and more) have everything to do with their physical, mental and emotional health. 

With that said, now is a great opportunity to think about what mental-emotional health means to you. Maybe it also includes faith and heritage, and cultural practices important to your family. But not everyone is sure as to what mental health “looks” like in daily practice. One idea is to try asking yourself some or all of the following questions:  

  • What brings me joy?  
  • What am I doing when I lose track of time and find myself completely absorbed in something?  
  • What could I talk about all night if someone gave me the chance?  
  • What makes my eyes light up? 

These don’t have to be big things or time-consuming things. In fact, it’s great to be able to list some “small” and daily things that bring a little sprinkle of joy, relief, or a deep breath. Maybe it’s the ringing sound of crickets early in the morning. Or hearing the laugh of someone you love. See if you can identify five things today that bring you a little smile, chuckle, or deep breath.  

Here’s to your good health! 

 

It’s okay not to feel okay 

 

If you or someone you know has been struggling with their emotions, behaviors, or substance use please reach out to us. We can help you find appropriate tools and services that could help you overcome obstacles in your life. We are here for you. Please contact the Southern Ute Behavioral Health Division at 970-563-5700 for more information or to set up an appointment to see a counselor or therapist.  

Reminder: If you need to talk to someone, please reach out. 

And for those interested in opioid use education, harm reduction, and support, please contact us for quick Naloxone (Narcan) training and fentanyl test strips. We can schedule individual, family, or friends training times at our Southern Ute Behavioral Health Building, or we can come to you, and the training is around 30 minutes. Please call us at 970-563-5700 to set up a training appointment. 

To top