For 70 years May has been the National Mental Health Month. Since 1949, Mental Health America and affiliates reach millions to spread the word that May is National Mental Health Month and mental health is something everyone should care about. A healthy lifestyle can help to prevent the onset or worsening of mental health conditions, as well as chronic physical conditions like heart disease. It can also help people recover from these conditions.
Mental illnesses are real, and recovery is always the goal. Living a healthy lifestyle may not be easy but can be achieved by gradually making small changes and building on those successes. Finding the balance between work and play and the ups and downs of life can help you on the path towards focusing both the mind and body.
KEY MESSAGES FROM MENTAL HEALTH AMERICA:
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Mental health is essential to everyone’s overall health and well-being.
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Mental illnesses are common and treatable.
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A healthy lifestyle can help to prevent the onset or worsening of mental health conditions, as well as chronic conditions like heart disease, diabetes, and obesity. It can also help people recover from these conditions.
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For those dealing with a chronic health condition and the people who care for them, it can be especially important to focus on mental health.
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Humor, spirituality, recreation, animal companionship, and work-life balance are important for everyone, but may be of special importance to people also living with chronic health conditions and those who care for them.
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Finding a reason to laugh, going for a walk, meditating or playing with a pet can go a long way in making you both physically and mentally healthy.
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Sometimes life is far from funny, but finding humor in a situation can lift moods with laughter and help people to better deal with and overcome difficult experiences.
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Whether you go to church, meditate daily, or simply find time to enjoy that cup of tea each morning while checking in, it can be important to connect with your spiritual side in order to find that mind and body connection.
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Living a healthy lifestyle may not be easy but can be achieved by gradually making small changes and building on those successes.
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Finding the balance between work and play, the ups and downs of life, physical health and mental health, can help you on the path towards focusing both mind and body.
