By Kay Daneault
We live in a rapidly changing world that can be complex to navigate. About half of Americans can remember a time when we were not constantly connected and could more easily tune out the noise of the world, while the younger half can’t imagine life without the internet.
Modern life can significantly impact our mental health — for better or worse. The disturbing imagery we are exposed to in the media can be deeply unsettling. At the same time, our current technology also allows us to mobilize and provide collective support more efficiently in times of natural disasters or injustice.
While our devices make us more connected than ever, loneliness is an increasingly serious public health concern. We can have conversations with friends and family on the other side of the world in real time. However, we also may know that we were not invited to a friend’s party down the street.
While our devices make us more connected than ever, LONELINESS is an increasingly serious public health concern.
Finding a sense of calm and focusing on wellbeing when you are having mental health concerns can be daunting in our fast-paced, tech-driven society. It can be especially challenging to know where to start.
May is Mental Health Month, and the Mental Health Association is raising awareness of the significant role mental health plays in our lives. We are encouraging members of the community to act now to protect their mental health and overall wellbeing.
This May, the Mental Health Association will focus its efforts on helping members of the community to:
- LEARN how modern life affects mental health, with new resources to navigate our changing world.
- ACT by building a coping toolbox to manage stress, difficult emotions and challenging situations.
- ADVOCATE to improve mental health for themselves, their loved ones and their community.
Mental Health America has created a toolkit to help individuals determine where to start. The toolkit provides free, practical resources for addressing mental health. Visit mhanational.org/may to learn more.
If you think you may be experiencing symptoms of a mental health condition, you can take a free, private mental health test at msmentalhealth.org to determine the next steps.
It’s important to remember that working on your mental health takes time. Change won’t happen overnight. By focusing on small changes, you can move through the stressors of modern life and develop long-term strategies to support yourself on an ongoing basis. For more information, call (228) 864-6274.
Kay Daneault is executive director of the Mental Health Association of South Mississippi. Reach her at kdaneault@msmentalhealth.org.