Mental Health Care
What is Mental Health
What is Mental Health?
Mental health includes our emotional, psychological, and social well-being. It affects how we think, feel, and act. It also helps determine how we handle stress, relate to others, and make healthy choices. Mental health is important at every stage of life, from childhood and adolescence through adulthood. (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)
Certain factors may increase your risk of developing a mental illness, including:
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A history of mental illness in a blood relative, such as a parent or sibling.
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Stressful life situations, such as financial problems, a loved one's death or a divorce.
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An ongoing (chronic) medical condition, such as diabetes.
What are Risk Factors?
Risk factors are influences in the individual, family, or community that make it more likely that individuals will develop a mental health problem:
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biological,
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psychological, or
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social factors
Mental Health Affects Everyone
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One in five American adults experienced a mental health issue.
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One in 6 young people experienced a major depressive episode.
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One in 20 Americans lived with a serious mental illness, such as schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, or major depression.
Contact:
Beth Hook
Coordinator of Mental Health Services
bhook@lexrich5.org
Mental Health Resources
Healthy Mental and Emotional Development
National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI)
COMMON SIGNS OF A MENTAL HEALTH CONDITION
- Each illness has its own symptoms, but common signs of mental illness in adults and adolescents can include the following:
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Excessive worrying or fear
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Feeling excessively sad or low
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Confused thinking or problems concentrating and learning
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Extreme mood changes, including uncontrollable “highs” or feelings of euphoria
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Prolonged or strong feelings of irritability or anger
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Avoiding friends and social activities
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Difficulties understanding or relating to other people
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Changes in sleeping habits or feeling tired and low energy
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Changes in eating habits such as increased hunger or lack of appetite
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Changes in sex drive
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Difficulty perceiving reality (delusions or hallucinations, in which a person experiences and senses things that don't exist in objective reality)
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Inability to perceive changes in one’s own feelings, behavior or personality (”lack of insight” or anosognosia)
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Overuse of substances like alcohol or drugs
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Multiple physical ailments without obvious causes (such as headaches, stomach aches, vague and ongoing “aches and pains”)
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Thinking about suicide
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Inability to carry out daily activities or handle daily problems and stress
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An intense fear of weight gain or concern with appearance
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Mental health conditions can also begin to develop in young children. Because they’re still learning how to identify and talk about thoughts and emotions, their most obvious symptoms are behavioral. Symptoms in children may include the following:
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Young children:
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Changes in school performance
- Excessive worry or anxiety, for instance, fighting to avoid bed or school
- Hyperactive behavior
- Frequent nightmares
- Frequent disobedience or aggression
- Frequent temper tantrums
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Youth Resources
Ever had times when you felt you are not “enough”? …not enough “likes, views, chats…”? Times when you have been “knocked down” by things that have happened in your life? Or felt the need to be noticed or heard? This short message is for all of us. We’ve been there…Love you, Push through, Just look up!
How to Talk to My Parents or Guardian About My Mental Health Needs
Social Media and Mental Health
Parent Resources
Crisis Lifeline (988)
Caring for your child's Mental Health:
- Parenting Blog - Spark & Stitch Institute
- Free Resources - Spark & Stitch Institute
- Understanding ACEs with Dr. Nadine Burke Harris
- Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs): Impact on brain, body and behaviour
- 5 Expert Tips No Parent Should Miss | Positive Parenting | Goalcast
- Is It a Mental Health Problem? Or Just Puberty?
Conversation starters with kids:
Self Harm:
- What Happens When Your Child's School Reports Suicidal Ideation
- Understanding Self-Harm
- How to Respond to Self-Harm
Sleep Hygiene:
Discipline:
- How to discipline your child the smart and healthy way | UNICEF Parenting.
- Disciplining children: An age-by-age guide - Today's Parent
- How to not yell at your children - Dr Justin Coulson
Tantrums:
Social Emotional Learning (SEL) for parents:
- Social Emotional Wellness for Families and Students
- SEL @ Home: An Introduction
- Building Social and Emotional Skills at Home | NAEYC
Substance Treatment and Recovery Supports:
Mental Wellness Apps
Mental Health Wellness Apps for Apple and Android (go to your app store and search for the following):
CALM - A sleep or meditation app for anyone, whether you’re brand new to meditation or a seasoned expert. It’s also for anyone who needs a mental break, a soothing sound, or a peaceful night’s rest. Our guided meditations are available in lengths of 3 to 25 minutes, so you can choose the perfect length to fit your schedule.
MINDSHIFT - A variety of methods for young people to respond to anxiety including; developing their knowledge of anxiety and symptoms, engaging in relaxation tasks, evaluating their level of anxiety in particular situations, developing realistic thinking patterns and changing behavior.
HEADSPACE - Guided meditations, courses, and mindfulness exercises on subjects like stress, general anxiety, worry, building resilience, and more topics for any moment. Learn mindfulness and choose from hundreds of meditations led by world-class experts.
MINDFUL POWERS - For children aged between 7 and 10. The technique of mindfulness has been very positively received by many of those who have taken the time to learn and practice it. Adults have embraced mindfulness apps to aid their learning and practice.
SMILING MIND - Meditation and mindfulness app with guided practices for both children and adults. It features a library of mindfulness tracks, with targeted practices for everything from stress and sleep to relationships and gratitude.
BREATHE, THINK, DO - Features your child’s favorite Sesame Street characters to help teach them skills such as problem-solving, self-control, planning and perseverance.
STOPit - Anonymously report incidents to your school using text and photos or video. Anonymously alert your school to inappropriate conduct or safety concerns such as harassment, bullying, ethics or compliance violations, weapons possession, hazing, safety hazards, threats, assault, or illegal activity, or to ask for help for yourself or another.
CRISIS LIFELINE - 988 offers 24/7 access to trained crisis counselors who can help people experiencing mental health-related distress.
Call or text 988 or chat 988lifeline.org for yourself or if you are worried about a loved one who may need crisis support.
- Thoughts of suicide
- Mental health or substance use crisis, or
- Any other kind of emotional distress