CORONAVIRUS (COVID-19) RESOURCE CENTER Read More
Add To Favorites

Residents urged to wear green for mental health

The Woodward News - 5/18/2022

May 18—May is Mental Health Awareness Month. Project AWARE in Woodward is requesting the community to wear green on Thursday in support of Mental Health.

Awareness helps fight the stigma and provide support for people with mental illness and their families. Andi Hopper, the Project AWARE Community Grant Manager said, "Wear a green shirt, pants, socks or earrings. Please tell your family, friends and co-workers."

Each year millions of Americans face the reality of living with a mental illness. Mental Health Month raises awareness of trauma and the impact it can have on the physical, emotional, and mental well-being of children, families, and communities.

Some facts from mentalhealth.gov include:

In 2020, about one in five American adults experienced a mental health issue. One in 6 young people experienced a major depressive episode. One in 20 Americans lived with a serious mental illness, such as schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, or major depression.

Even very young children may show early warning signs of mental health concerns. These mental health problems are often clinically diagnosable, and can be a product of the interaction of biological, psychological, and social factors.

Half of all mental health disorders show first signs before a person turns 14 years old, and three-quarters of mental health disorders begin before age 24. Early mental health support can help a child before problems interfere with other developmental needs.

Most people with mental illness are not violent and only 3% — 5% of violent acts can be attributed to individuals living with a serious mental illness. In fact, people with severe mental illnesses are over 10 times more likely to be victims of violent crime than the general population.

You probably know someone with a mental health problem and don't even realize it, because many people with mental health problems are highly active and productive members of our communities.

Studies show that people with mental health problems get better and many recover completely. Recovery refers to the process in which people are able to live, work, learn, and participate fully in their communities. There are more treatments, services, and community support systems than ever before, and they work.

Promoting the social-emotional well-being of children and youth leads to higher overall productivity, better educational outcomes, Stronger economies and Improved quality of life.

___

(c)2022 The Woodward News (Woodward, Okla.)

Visit The Woodward News (Woodward, Okla.) at woodwardnews.net

Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.