May is Mental Health Awareness Month

There are several great resources in Eagle Country.

Throughout this pandemic, we have faced isolation, turmoil and unrest. As a result, a growing number of Americans experienced mental health symptoms. In 2020, there was a 31% increase in mental health-related emergency department visits among U.S. adolescents. Prolonged screen time has impacted both

our physical and emotional health in negative ways. The collective distress of the pandemic has shed light on the importance of mental health as an essential part of overall health.

Every May, Mental Health Awareness Month has been observed in the U.S. since 1949. Each year millions of Americans face the reality of living with a mental illness. NAMI SE IN, the National Alliance on Mental Illness, joins the national movement to raise awareness about mental health. We fight stigma, provide support, educate the public and advocate for policies that support people with mental illness and their families.

NAMI SE IN knows that getting help during a crisis can save lives — and so can getting care before reaching a crisis point. We support a coordinated care approach that combines physical and mental health care services to identify symptoms earlier and connect people with care. Together, we can help create a mental health support system that doesn’t leave anyone behind and provides access to the right support at the right time.

Early treatment is best. Amazingly, the average delay between onset of mental illness symptoms and treatment is 11 years. Stigma and lack of awareness often underlies this delay. While 1 in 5 U.S. adults experience mental illness each year, less than half of them receive treatment. Stigma is based in myths, misunderstanding, ignorance, and negative attitudes towards people living with mental health conditions. They may be treated as dangerous, different or as if they are somehow less than other people. Clearly stigma is not fair or truthful, but it still hurts.

Mental Health Awareness Month provides a perfect opportunity for the NAMI to shine a spotlight on spreading helpful mental health resources:

• We are fortunate in Southeastern Indiana to have the support of CMHC, Community Mental Health Center. If you have a life-threatening emergency, call 911. But if you have a psychiatric emergency or you are seeing symptoms that indicate a pending emergency you can call CMHC 24/7 at 812-537-1302 or 877-849-1248. There is an on-call therapist available to help you sort out next steps. Plus, CMHC now has a Mobile Crisis Team. They can be reached at the same telephone number. The Mobile Crisis Team can make contact within 1 business day to assist with safety planning and resources to help prevent an urgent need from becoming an emergency. This may include contact by phone, in-person, or virtually. CMHC provides a full range of mental health and recovery services. For an outpatient appointment call the CMHC near you or 812-537-1302. Check their website at https://cmhcinc.org/.
• There is greater awareness today of the importance of suicide prevention. According to NAMI, the suicide rate has increased 35% since 1999. For support call the Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 800-273-8255 (talk) or for the Crisis Text Line text Help to 741741, you will get a live volunteer Crisis Counselor.
• People have turned increasingly to substance misuse, including alcohol. The National Institute of Alcohol & Alcoholism found a 25% increase in alcohol related deaths during COVID in 2020. There are many ways to get help in Southeast Indiana. In addition to CMHC, Choices/CERT is available at 317-205-8302. They provide emergency response & care to those with substance use disorders. Also, for help finding a support group and other resources including peer support, and access to Narcan, check 1Voice https://1voicesoutheasternindiana.org/ 812-577-4664.
• According to law enforcement, there is an increase in domestic violence calls. In Southeastern Indiana Safe Passage helps prevent and protect people from domestic violence. Contact them at 812-932-SAFE (7233). Check their website at https://safepassageprevention.org/.
• For mental health support and education programs contact NAMI. NAMI Indiana provides telephone support to help plan for an impending crisis at 800-667-6442, Monday-Friday, 9 AM-5 PM. Go to www.nami.org to learn about the multitude of resources and programs NAMI has to offer. For local information, check out NAMI SE IN: HTTP://NAMISEIN.COM.

By coming Together for Mental Health, we can use our voices to express the need for adequate mental health care funding, access to quality care and effective mental health crisis response in all communities. There is hope! Recovery is possible! People can and do recover when they have access to care and resources.