May is Mental Health Awareness Month
Mental health includes emotional, psychological, and social well-being. It affects how we think, feel, act, make choices, and relate to others. Mental health is more than the absence of a mental illness—it’s essential to your overall health and quality of life. Self-care can play a role in maintaining your mental health and help support your treatment and recovery if you have a mental illness.*
Mental illnesses are common in the United States. Nearly one in five U.S. adults live with a mental illness (51.5 million in 2019). Mental illnesses include many different conditions that vary in degree of severity, ranging from mild to moderate to severe.*
Each person’s “healthiest self” is different. We have different bodies, minds, living situations, and people influencing our lives. Each area can impact your overall health. This means we each have a unique set of health needs.
The National Institutes of Health offer several wellness toolkits to find ways to improve your well-being and can be accessed by visiting their website:
Seek professional help if you are experiencing severe or distressing symptoms that have lasted two weeks or more, such as:
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Difficulty sleeping
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Appetite changes that result in unwanted weight changes
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Struggling to get out of bed in the morning because of mood
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Difficulty concentrating
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Loss of interest in things you usually find enjoyable
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Inability to perform usual daily functions and responsibilities
Don’t wait until your symptoms are overwhelming. Talk about your concerns with your primary care provider, who can refer you to a mental health specialist if needed.*
*Information obtained from the Nation Institutes of Health
April is Sexual Assault Awareness Month
RAINN's online resources shed light on the scope of the problem in our country.
Everyday hundreds of Americans are affected by sexual violence. Every 73 seconds, an American is sexually assaulted. And every 9 minutes, that victim is a child.
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About 3% of American men—or 1 in 33—have experienced an attempted or completed rape in their lifetime.4
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From 2009-2013, Child Protective Services agencies substantiated, or found strong evidence to indicate that, 63,000 children a year were victims of sexual abuse.5
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A majority of child victims are 12-17. Of victims under the age of 18: 34% of victims of sexual assault and rape are under age 12, and 66% of victims of sexual assault and rape are age 12-17.6
If you have been affected by sexual violence, help is available. Everyone's recovery looks different, and the support and compassion you receive along the way can help the recovery process. RAINN provides 24/7 support and can be called at 800.656.4673. Your healing matters and there are people who care.
RAINN on the APP Store:
Download on the APP store:
Download with Google Play:
The New Orleans Family Justice Center providers support and services to survivors of sexual assault in the Greater New Orleans Area.
New Orleans Family Justice Center is a partnership of agencies dedicated to ending family violence, child abuse, sexual assault, and stalking through prevention and coordinated response by providing comprehensive client-centered, empowerment services in a single location. They are available to help. You can reach them below:
24 HOUR CRISIS LINE / LÍNEA DIRECTA DE CRISIS DE 24 HORAS
504-866-9554
OFFICE / LLAME A NUESTRA OFICINA
504-592-4005
March is Nation Eating Disorders Awareness Month.
NEDA, who supports individuals and families affected by eating disorders, and serves as a catalyst for prevention, cures and access to quality care, is striving to raise awareness and support those affected by eating disorders during eating disorder awareness week.
February is Black History Month.
February 1st through March 1st is Black History Month. NPR will be celebrating Black History with special programming and episodes.
You can following this link to check out their special programming.
Below is a video we'd like to share: