May is Mental Health Awareness Month. Vice President of Behavioral Health Services at Bridgeway, Stacy Brown, explains signs to recognize when someone may need to seek services:
“We see each other every day. Work is our primary place, right, and kids live at school, that is where they are. How do we recognize when people need help or when things are a little different with people that we know. We are the ones who would see it the most, people we are around every day. Be looking for changes in behavior, attitude, hygiene even; if people are usually pretty put together and they start rolling in like they just got out of bed, that is a big change for somebody. How do we recognize that and what do we do? It can be as simple as saying to someone ‘Hey I have noticed this’ or ‘I’m worried about you;’ maybe there are people out there who nobody has ever said that to them and it can be helpful, refreshing the first time when somebody shows concern or interest in how they are doing.”
Taking time out of the day for yourself and spending time doing things that make you happy go hand in hand with mental health.
“You have to take care of yourself in order to function they way you want to, but also if you are somebody who cares for others or is interested in making sure other people are healthy, you have to be healthy too in order to do that. We really promote self care. Even if it is small things, take five minutes for yourself every day if you can.”
