Since 1949 the Mental Health America Organization has been observing the month of May as Mental Health Awareness Month. Mental health includes our emotional, psychological, and social well-being. It affects how we think, feel, and act. It also determines how we handle stress, relate to others, and make healthy choices. 1 Mental health is important at every stage of our life!
Right now more than ever, it’s so important to talk about and take care of our Mental Health. Here are some resources for you to use to help better yourself or someone you know!:
Girls Health.Gov: The “Your Feelings” section of this website offers guidance to teenage girls on recognizing a mental health problem, getting help, and talking to parents. http://girlshealth.gov/feelings/index.html
Go Ask Alice!: Geared at young adults, this question and answer website contains a large database of questions about a variety of concerns surrounding emotional health. www.goaskalice.columbia.edu
Kelty Mental Health Resource Center: Reference sheets are provided that list top websites, books, videos, toolkits and support for mental health disorders. http://keltymentalhealth.ca/youth-and-young-adults
Teen Mental Health: Geared towards teenagers, this website provides learning tools on a variety of mental illnesses, videos, and resources for friends. http://teenmentalhealth.org/
Center for Young Women’s Health and Young Men’s Health: These websites provides a series of guides on emotional health, including anxiety, depression, bullying, and eating disorders. www.youngwomenshealth.org and www.youngmenshealthsite.org
Reach Out: This website provides information on specific mental health disorders, as well as resources to help teens make safe plans when feeling suicidal, and helpful tips on how to relax. http://au.reachout.com/
National Alliance on Mental Health: Find resources for youth, including information on managing your mental health in college and making friends. www.nami.org/Find-Support/Teens-and-Young-Adults
Mindfulness for Teens: This website has resources to help teens use mindfulness to handle stress and includes apps to practice meditation and guided mediation recordings. http://mindfulnessforteens.com/
- Strengthening Mental Health PromotionExternal. Fact sheet no. 220. Geneva, Switzerland: World Health Organization.