May is Mental Health Awareness Month

National Mental Health Month raises awareness about mental illness and related issues in the United States. In recent times, attitudes towards mental health issues appear to be changing.

Trying to tell the difference between what expected behaviors are and what might be the signs of a mental illness isn't always easy. Each illness has its own symptoms, but common signs of mental illness in adults and adolescents can include the following:

• Excessive worrying or fear.
  
• Feeling excessively sad or low.
• Confused thinking or problems concentrating and learning.
• Extreme mood changes, including uncontrollable “highs” or feelings of euphoria.
• Prolonged or strong feelings of irritability or anger.
• Avoiding friends and social activities.

Do not be afraid to reach out if you or someone you know needs help. Learning all you can about mental health is an important first step, in addition to following:

1. Reach out to your health insurance, primary care doctor or state/county mental health authority for more resources.
2. Contact the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) HelpLine to find out what services and support options are available in your community.
3. If you or someone you know needs help now, you should immediately call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255 or call 911.

Click on the Loneliness Guide for additional resources, provided by Humana.

1. https://www.nami.org/About-Mental-Illness/Warning-Signs-and-Symptoms
2. https://populationhealth.humana.com/social-determinants-of-health/social-isolation-and-loneliness/
   
3. https://www.healthwise.net/aetna/Content/StdDocument.aspx?DOCHWID=anxty
   
4. https://connect.bcbsil.com/health-and-wellness/b/weblog/posts/mental-health-support