Take care of your mental health this holiday season
Last week, National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) Butler County reached out asking the Butler Eagle to share a list of practical tips to help care for mental health amid the holiday season.
We obliged and as the holiday season arrives, we think it’s worth highlighting these suggestions again because what’s the most wonderful time of the year for some may be the most difficult time of the year for others.
According to NAMI, 1 in 5 adults experience mental illness each year, and 1 in 20 adults experience serious mental illness each year.
Among those who report experiencing depression, there is a 40% higher risk of developing cardiovascular and metabolic diseases, and 33.5% of U.S. adults with mental illness also experienced a substance use disorder in one recent year, data from NAMI shows.
And the hardest part for many to understand is suicide, which is the second leading cause of death for those age 10 to 14 and the third leading cause of death among those age 15 to 24 in the United States. Across the country as a whole, it’s the 12th leading cause of death, and 46% of those who die by suicide have a diagnosed mental health condition, according to NAMI.
Not everyone’s holiday will feature smiling loved ones around a table full of food. While the holidays spread cheer, they also serve as a reminder of loss as traditions often change over time. It’s worth remembering that as you approach the holidays and approach those around you over the next month and a half.
The tips from the local branch of NAMI include advice to spend time with loved ones to reduce feelings of loneliness, to find time to relax, to use coping skills and to acknowledge feelings.
Other advice on the list includes suggestions to stay in therapy amid the holidays, to stay hydrated, plan ahead and find the best times to shop.
The tips from NAMI end with a reminder about a helpline that exists for you whenever you need it.
The HelpLine is available from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. by calling 800-950-NAMI (6264) or by texting “HelpLine” to 62640. Online chat is available at nami.org/help.
Those in crisis can call or text 988 or chat at 988lifeline.org.
— TL
