Every year when I reach the end of Mental Health Awareness Month, I try to reflect. I reflect on mental health in the state of my community, my city and my country, and I wonder if anything has happened this month that could lead to substantial change. This year, I have to say I’m a little discouraged. I know I’m usually a little more positive about mental health awareness, but after this month it seems like we have so much of it backwards. That’s why, to close out this month, I want to share why talking about mental health – the right way – is more important now than ever.
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Learning How To Take Time
I’ll be honest, friends: I’m tired. Physically, mentally, emotionally, I am exhausted. And I know I’ve said it before on this blog (and I’m sure I’ll say it again), but the world can really wear me down. It seems like every single week, something happens in the world that makes me sad, angry, upset or hopeless. And that’s without introducing anything from own life into the mix! While I haven’t really figured out how to handle these new challenges, I know what it starts with: taking time for what I need.
Continue readingWhy It Needs To Be Okay Not To Be Okay
It today’s digital world, lots of thoughts and feelings can be boiled down to a slogan or a hashtag, something that will grab a person and make them want to learn more or take action. When it comes to mental health there are a lot different ideas and slogans, but one of the most popular is the phrase it’s okay not to be okay. Usually that’s said in a way that is reassuring or a catalyst for change, but today I also want to talk about how this can help pave the way for a new normal surrounding mental health. We’re building a future where it must be okay not to be okay and if I’m being honest, we don’t have any other choice.
Continue readingMental Health Resources to Know And Share During Mental Health Awareness Month
Today’s post will be a little shorter than usual, but there’s a good reason for that. Sharing our experiences around mental health is crucial to shrinking the stigma and improving the way we treat mental health in our communities, but it’s also important to share resources. Mental health resources exist in many more places than we might think, and by connecting with these organizations and sharing them with others, we can make sure others have the resources they need, when they need them.
Continue readingEvery Day Is a Good Day to Talk About Mental Health
I’ll be honest – I write and talk about a mental health a lot, but I know conversations around mental health aren’t always easy. They can be awkward or uncomfortable, and sometimes it might feel like they don’t go anywhere. But even though those interactions might be hard or feel pointless, there’s nothing further from the truth. Mental health matters every single day, and here’s why.
Continue readingA Look at Mental Health in the United States During Mental Health Awareness Month 2022
Last year, I took a deep dive into some statistics and data surrounding mental health and the LGBTQIA+ community during Pride Month. I think that diving into data and statistics is one of the clearest ways to make mental health visible in our society. The more we use anecdotal evidence or rely on assumptions, the harder it is to have a conversation around mental health and mental illness. That being said, I tried to find the most recent data I could to figure out the state of mental health in the United States.
Continue readingHow Do You Talk About Mental Health?
During Mental Health Awareness Month, there is a lot of attention focused on knowing what mental health challenges look like. It makes sense – mental illness and mental health disorders have become much more prevalent in the past few decades and the pandemic has only amplified that, so awareness is extremely important. But there are so many things to be aware of when it comes to mental health that not everyone might know. That’s why today, I want to reflect on how we talk about mental health society and how that impacts our health and wellness.
Continue readingMental Health Awareness Month 2022
The month of May means one thing on My Brain’s Not Broken – it’s Mental Health Awareness Month! This is a time every year (held each May in the United States) where time and space is reserved to raise awareness for mental health. Even though we can advocate year-round, this month is a time for specific conversations about shrinking the mental health stigma and advocating for the policies and services that people need. Different organizations have various themes for Mental Health Awareness Month, and this month is a good time to come together and advocate for what we ALL need to maintain mental wellness. Here are a few campaigns to keep an eye on this month!
Continue readingIntroducing My New Project: Negative Thoughts, Positive Person!
Happy Thursday! Earlier this week, I mentioned I’m cooking up a few new projects as part of my attempt to grow into more of a mental health advocate and activist. One of the biggest reasons I want to get into a different type of space (don’t worry, MBNB isn’t going anywhere!) is that in the years I’ve been writing this blog, I’ve come to understand the power of conversation. The ability to share my story and my experience has been profoundly important to my mental health, and without that space to learn and grow, I wouldn’t be where I am today. That’s why I’m excited to announce that starting next month, I’m going to be sharing some of my broader thoughts and reflections in a new form – an email newsletter I’m calling Negative Thoughts, Positive Person.
Continue readingLooking Inward Instead of Outward
For the past month, I’ve been getting more into meditation as a daily practice. I’m trying to use meditation as something I look forward to during my day-to-day, instead of adding another item to my to-do list that I need to check off. This lets me put less pressure on myself (which is nice), but it also lets me go into those meditations with a bit of a freer mind. And it’s that freer mind I’m grateful for, because that plays a big role in looking inward during meditation – something I’ve really struggled with before.
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My Brain's Not Broken 