October 4, 2023

Mental Illness: It's A Family Affair (Day 4)

MIAW FAQs
Why is awareness about mental health important?
Having good mental health awareness is important to improve understanding and increase access to healthcare.

How does mental health affect daily life?
It affects how we think, feel, and act.

What activities help mental health?
Physical exercise is effective in helping a person’s mental health. Aerobic activities have been found to reduce anxiety and depression.

 

How to observe MIAW
Watch the Mental Illness Awareness Week videos: Watch the videos that feature real people sharing their lived experiences. You can get to learn some of the symptoms and effects of mental illness.

Share on social media: Use your social media handles to pass the message. You can use mediagraphics and logos that NAMI provides to get the conversation going.

Download additional resources: Download readings and additional resources that will increase your knowledge of mental health. With this information, support a loved one struggling with mental illness.

 

5 Facts About Mental Illness
Your mental health can change over time: Mental health is dependent on many factors and this means that a person’s mental health can change over time due to circumstances.

Mental health problems are very common: In the U.S., statistics reveal that there are about one in 20 people with a serious mental illness.

There is no single cause: Several factors can contribute to the risk of suffering from a mental illness.

Children can also have mental health issues: About 50% of children show the first signs of mental health disordersbefore 14 years old, and three-quarters of mental health disorders begin before age 24.

There are more than 200 types of mental illness: There are hundreds of mental health illnesses

 

Why MIAW is Important
It highlights a taboo topic: There are certain stigma's around mental illnesses. This week breaksdown these stereotypes, misinformation, and discrimination.

It highlights real-world experiences: The information shared contains stories and experiences of those living with mental illness every day. Their shared experience makes this illness very relatable.

It saves lives: By reaching out, creating conversation, and allowing discussion about mental health you are showing support and understanding. This is needed by all the people living with this condition.

Today's information is courtesy of National Today.

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You are invited to join us for this month's AWOGI discussion: Mental Illness: It's A Family Affair on Saturday, October 14 at 10am via zoom.

Click Family Affair to access the zoom meeting link.

TOGETHER, We Care and We Share.