I’d love to say it’s more important now than ever before, but that’s just not true. Mental health awareness and the treatment of mental health conditions has always been critically important, just not discussed.
I see this changing because of wonderful organizations like our friends at the National Alliance on Mental Illness, (NAMI), impassioned leaders, celebrities, and role models speaking their truth and a willingness by all of us to not only accept those who struggle with mental illness but to reach out and embrace them.
Yes, we have a heightened awareness of the state of mental illness in our country because of this relentless virus and we should. COVID-19 has taken a toll on so many including our healthcare workers, parents, the already isolated, the elderly, the unemployed, the impoverished and our children — we worry so much about our kids who aren’t able to see their friends regularly, pass a football, and even swap sandwiches and share laughter in a school lunchroom.
So, this is definitely a year to recognize this day, World Mental Health Day 2020. How do we do that?
No. 1 – Know the resources that are available to you and the people you love. You can start with the World Health Organization’s, World Mental Health Day 2020 but also NAMI’s website (NAMI.org) which is full of resources and a directory of those local to you.
No. 2 – Give – but only if you can – to those organizations who continue to fight for resources for millions of Americans living with a mental health condition. I’m so proud of our company for donating $11,111 to NAMI earlier this year.
No. 3 – Download and share a link to a Children’s Story Book to help young children cope with COVID-19.
No. 4 – Share our World Mental Health Day 2020 social media post or your own on your social networks. You never know who, in your vast network, may need help and your simple post will spread the word and serves to diminish the stigma associated with this very important topic.
