We are promoting good mental health at the Health Department.
Mental health is one of the 12 Healthy People 2020 Leading Health Indicators. Mental health refers to an individual’s ability to negotiate the daily challenges and social interactions of life without experiencing undue emotional or behavioral incapacity.
Mental health and mental disorders can be influenced by numerous conditions including biologic and genetic vulnerabilities, acute or chronic physical dysfunction, and environmental conditions and stresses.
Mental health is a very broad term that can mean a variety of different things.
Depression
Suicide
One way it is measured is through the seven day test (if an individual reports having 7 or more “poor mental health days in the past 30”)
In the basin we have roughly 12,000 individuals who report experiencing poor mental health of seven or more days in the past 30.
Some mental health issues are very severe and should be dealt with immediately, e.g. suicide, major depression.
Many mental health issues can be addressed in a number of ways. e.g.:
Sleep
Exercise
Light
Fun
Interaction (social, family)
Eating Well
May is a great time of year to promote good mental health. Winter is over and the sun is up. It is easier to spend time outside, more social interaction etc.