Mental Health has never been more important than this year.
This school year is bringing on challenges like no other. As a result of the pandemic, schools throughout the country are wrestling with at-home learning, traditional in-school learning, or a hybrid of the two. And everyone is wrestling with worry and uncertainty.
As the number of cases of COVID-19 increases, so does the associated anxiety. For the general public, the mental health effects of COVID-19 are as essential to address as are the physical health effects. And for the one in five who already have mental health conditions – or the one in two who are at risk of developing them – we need to take personal, professional, and policy measures now to address them. To aid individuals and communities during this time, MHAoPC has compiled a range of resources and information for all of our community members.
#Tools2Thrive
Started in May 2020, Mental Health America of Putnam County (MHAoPC) is proud to share and explore topics that can help you build your own set of #Tools2Thrive. These areas include: recognizing and owning your feelings; connecting with others; finding the positive after loss; eliminating toxic influences; creating healthy routines; and supporting others – all as ways to boost the mental health and general wellness of you and your loved ones. We’re so happy to be able to share these!
Even More Online Resources
Online resources have really taken off recently. Our own, newly re-designed web site, mhaopc.org, has not only information on our programs, but links to these #ToolsToThrive, COVID-19 sites, and support services. Additionally, we would like to applaud Indiana state agencies for launching the new BeWellindiana.com website, where Hoosiers can find resources and services for mental health and substance use disorders, as well as take one of our mental health screens.
MHA – Nationally Recognized Screenings
Writing of screenings, we invite you take a quick snapshot of your mental health with one of many available. One of the easiest tools anyone can use is taking a mental health screen when they need answers. It’s a quick, free, and private way for people to assess their mental health and recognize signs of mental health problems. Screenings not only help you think about specific challenges, they can help you define specific issues and help others (e.g. surveys for Caregivers, Parents, and Better Care for Adults) . You can reach the screenings at mhascreening.org.
Practical tools are close by that everyone can use to improve their mental health and increase resiliency regardless of the situations they are dealing with. Don’t hesitate to reach out and research, evaluate, and engage. Remember, we’re all in this together, and our strength is working with each other.
For more information, visit all our Mental Health Month pages, and you can get even more from www.mhanational.org/july or by calling 765-653-3310.