The world is full of villains, like stigma or symptoms of mental illnesses or trauma. In fact, 1 in 5 children ages 13-18 have or will have a serious mental illness. However, these numbers only reflect the children who have received help and have been diagnosed.
Many children and parents are still living behind a mask, struggling with mental health challenges alone due to stigma. Many are not able to lead positive and productive lives because they aren’t able to access or aren’t aware of life-saving mental health support.
But the good news is that we are all capable of being a superhero, each with unique strengths or “super powers” to make our world a better place. We can use our super mind powers to overcome those villains for ourselves and loved ones. It all starts with using your voice.
Join The Guidance Center this May to Discover the Superhero Within and unleash your #supermindpower for good! Simply follow along on our social media pages (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn) and subscribe to our emails. All month long we’ll be celebrating our clients’ mental health journeys, raising awareness of mental health facts, fighting stigma and spreading empathy. We’d love your help sharing our posts so they can reach and help more people!
We want children and families everywhere to feel empowered by the knowledge that they’re not alone in their struggles and through support they can realize their own “super mind” strengths.
Here’s a few other ways you can make a difference:
- Start the conversation on mental health with your friends in person, and on social media with hashtags like #MHM2018, #StopStigma, #MentalHealthMatters
- Educate yourself on the facts regarding common mental health conditions
- Learn the warning signs of mental health conditions and bookmark resources so you can refer a loved one who is struggling where to get help
- Take the NAMI pledge to be “stigma free” by avoiding labels and using respectful language when speaking of those with mental illness
- Talk to your doctor about mental health if it’s not already a part of your annual wellness check up
- Be supportive of those in your life who are struggling with mental health issues themselves or in their families by just being there and listening
- Sign up for a Mental Health First Aid course and learn how to help someone who is experiencing a mental health crisis
- Attend our It’s About T.I.M.E. Social Hour Fundraiser on May 10 to help us keep the trauma-informed movement. Buy your tickets here: http://bit.ly/socialhour2018
- Attend “Crisis Intervention Programs: Models of Success” panel discussion hosted by MemorialCare and City of Long Beach Department of Health & Human Services to learn about how to help loved ones in crisis and local resources that can help. Limited seating available. To attend, contact Lauren Gallant, MPP, Community Outreach & Government Relations Manager at MemorialCare, LGallant@memorialcare.org.
Mark your calendar for these awareness dates and a special opportunity to support The Guidance Center!
May 1 –6, 2017
Screen-Free Week – unplug from digital entertainment
May 7 –13, 2017
National Children’s Mental Health Awareness Week
National Anxiety and Depression Awareness Week
May 10 – Children’s Mental Health Awareness Day
May 10 – It’s About T.I.M.E. Social Hour
May 14 –20, 2017
National Women’s Health Week
National Prevention Week by Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administrations (SAMHSA)
May 18 – “Crisis Intervention Programs: Models of Success” panel discussion