By Alison Crane
Did you know October 10th, the second Saturday of 2020, will be celebrated as World Mental Health Day? The objective of this day is to spread awareness about mental health issues and to reduce the stigma faced by families and individuals coping with those problems.
While 1 in 5 people will experience a diagnosable mental health condition in their lives, 5 out of 5 people will go through a challenging time that affects their mental health.
The COVID-19 pandemic challenges of health concerns, social isolation, fear, uncertainty, income loss, stress, anxiety, etc. have affected the mental health and well-being of a large segment of our population.
Raising awareness and learning the facts provides a better understanding of mental health problems. There are simple things that every person can say or do to help the people in their life who are struggling to get through the tough times.
Practice active listening by giving your full attention to the speaker, asking open-ended questions, and summarize making sure you understand the speaker accurately.
Don’t compare their situation to something you have experienced. Rather focus on their specific needs.
Ask what you can do that would be helpful.
Don’t judge.
Offer to join them on a medical provider visit or assist with getting medication or groceries or with some other necessary task.
Know when they should be referred to a professional mental health provider or facility.
Remember, research shows a strong social support system improves overall mental health outcomes and the ability to bounce back from stressful situations.
If you would like more information or resources on how you can help your loved ones, contact the Garland County Extension office at 501-623-6841, or email acrane@uaex.edu. Follow us on Facebook @GarlandCountyExtensionHomeLife or @garlandcountyextension. Visit our website: https://www.uaex.edu/counties/garland/.
Alison Crane is a Family and Consumer Science Agent with the Garland County Extension Service. The University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture offers all its Extension and Research programs to all eligible persons without regard to race, color, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, national origin, religion, age, disability, marital or veteran status, genetic information, or any other legally protected status, and is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer.
