May is Mental Health Awareness Month! Mental health is just as important as physical health, and in many ways your mental health can have a huge impact on your physical health. You can acknowledge Mental Health Awareness Month by:
Practicing self-care and incorporating it into your routine
Self-care is the act of prioritizing yourself and your own wellbeing. It is an important part of maintaining your mental health! You can practice self-care by staying hydrated, eating full and healthy meals, getting enough sleep, moving your body, saying "no" when you need to, and engaging in activities that you enjoy!
Break the stigma
1 in 5 U.S. adults experience mental illness each year. A lot of the time, people who live with mental illness are blamed, belittled, or discriminated against for their condition. This can prevent people from getting the help they need. You can fight the stigma by talking openly about mental health, educating yourself and others, and being conscious of the language that you use.
NAMI Rochester has a great resource addressing the importance of the language we use when talking about mental illness: https://www.namiroc.org/language-matters
Know who to call
If you are struggling, you are not alone, you are valid, and you CAN get help. Call or text 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline to speak with a tele counselor, OR call, text, or chat 211 LIFELINE to get connected to resources in your community.
Attend an Event
Events in Rochester, Syracuse, and the Finger Lakes (and virtual!):
Talk About It Tuesday: Destigmatizing Mental Health in the Black Community - Tuesday, May 2nd from 6:00 PM - 7:00 PM, Facebook Live
https://www.facebook.com/events/1236418513914136
NAMI Walk Finger Lakes - Saturday, May 6th from 11 AM - 2 PM at Cass Park in Ithaca, NY
https://www.namiwalks.org/index.cfm?fuseaction=donorDrive.event&eventID=1357
Pop-Up Meditation - Monday, May 8th from 6:30 PM - 7:30 PM at NAMI Rochester
https://www.namiroc.org/calendar/meditation-may2023
Mental Health Open Mic Night - Thursday, May 11th from 6:30 PM - 8:30 PM at Muck Duck Studio
https://www.namiroc.org/calendar/openmic-may2023
Block the Stigma Volleyball Tournament - Saturday, May 13th from 8:30 AM - 4:30 PM at Hotshots Indoor Beach Volleyball
https://www.namiroc.org/calendar/blockthestigma2023
Soar Into Mental Health Wellness Kite Festival - Saturday, May 20th from 11:00 AM - 1:30 PM at Burnet Park in Syracuse
https://allevents.in/syracuse/soar-into-mental-health-wellness/200024423259409
NAMI Rochester 11th Annual Walk - Saturday, May 20th from 9:00 AM - 1:00 PM
https://www.namiroc.org/calendar/namirochesterwalk2023