COLUMBUS, Ohio — July is National Minority Mental Health Awareness Month. The yearly observance is focused on raising awareness about the challenges facing racial and ethnic minorities in the U.S. when it comes to mental illness.
Medical experts say mental health includes emotional, mental and social well-being. It impacts how a person thinks and feels. It also affects how you act, manage stress and make choices. When you care for your mental health, you can better cope with stress or challenges.
It is critical to talk with your primary care physician if there is a change in thoughts, behaviors, or moods that becomes disruptive to your life. Parents or caregivers should do the same if they notice changes in children. You can also contact a mental health specialist or a trusted loved one for help if you notice these changes in yourself or a loved one.
Dr. Whitney Raglin Bignall, the associate clinical director of The Kids Mental Health Foundation, said minority families tend to keep matters inside the family rather than reaching out for help to avoid the stigma of being labeled.
“Thinking about how we can break down the stigma of getting labeled, but also making sure people have all the right information because there is a lot of misinformation about things out there. It is important to find the right help,” Dr. Raglin Bignall said.
Your primary care physician or your child’s pediatrician can help make referrals to specialized care. Dr. Raglin Bignall suggested conversations with children that are essentially family check-ins. Topics could include simply asking them to talk about their day or giving an example of something they enjoyed doing at school or camp.
Pediatric experts also recommend mental health breaks and self-care for the entire family.
Options could include a family walk, five minutes of listening to relaxing music, focusing on gratitude, or doing a mindfulness exercise.
Check out some other great ideas at the Kids Mental Health Foundation.