Welcome to our October issue. We hope you’re all hanging in there as we continue to move through this hurricane season and all of the added stress these months can bring. As a gentle reminder, we’re here to support you all year. Please don’t hesitate to reach out if your mental health has been impacted by the recent storm or if you could use some extra resources and support during this stressful time of year.
Today we’re talking about World Mental Health Day, a day “to raise awareness of mental health issues around the world and to mobilize efforts in support of mental health.” This year’s theme is “Mental Health is a universal human right,” focused on understanding, spreading awareness, and taking meaningful actions to support and safeguard the mental well-being of every person around the world. If you’ve been following our newsletter for a while, you know that there are many personal and systemic barriers to obtaining affordable, relevant, and competent mental health care resources. (If you’re new here…welcome! Check out our post archive on the blog here.)
In honor of World Mental Health Day on October 10th, we challenge you (and ourselves!) to take part in the action and help us move toward a world where everyone has access to the care they need and stigma is a thing of the past. Here are some ways you can pitch in:
- Educate yourself: The World Federation for Mental Health founded World Mental Health Day 75 years ago in 1948. Each year, they pick a focus and theme to help move the cause of mental healthcare forward. Learn more about the day’s history, this year’s initiatives, and how you can be involved on their website.
- Exert your influence: Take a moment to reflect on this question: Where do you have influence or power? Maybe at your job? In your family? Your local neighborhood? Anywhere that you have influence is a place where you can start a respectful conversation about mental health. Can you shift a policy at your job to allow for more schedule flexibility for mental health appointments? Maybe you can give a talk at a local school that your child attends. You never know what a simple dinner table conversation can mean to someone who is struggling. You can make a difference, right where you are.
- Get involved: There are many ways that you can contribute to organizations and causes that are moving the needle for mental health both locally and around the world. Volunteering is also an amazing way to build community and put your special skills to use for a good cause! The Volunteer Match website has a robust search function that allows you to find organizations that interest you. And of course, we’d be honored if you wanted to get involved with us as a volunteer or donor!
- Model self-care: Speaking up is important, but our actions speak louder than words. Engaging in public acts of care for your mental health, from meeting with a therapist to using breathwork, is powerful. It shows those around you that they too can care for themselves in meaningful ways.
World Mental Health Day is just one day a year, but its mission resonates all year long. We plan to keep doing our part and hope you will too. And remember, we’re here to support Tampa Bay every day of the year. Just dial 844-YOU-OKAY to reach our free, confidential support line for Tampa Bay, and be paired with care resources that work for you. Let’s do this.
We’ll see you next month,
Your Team at Tampa Bay Thrives
