May is Mental Health Awareness Month and for over 70 years, Mental Health Awareness Month has been observed in May in the United States.
Mental health issues span a broad range of conditions. Depression and anxiety are conditions many people are dealing with, some for the first time. Lacey Schmitt-Monson is a program therapist with Senior Life Solutions at Franklin General Hospital in Hampton and tells Radio on the Go News some symptoms of depression include irritability and being less social.
*Schmitt-Monson #1
“Whether we’re anxious or we’re depressed. A lot of times we don’t display our symptoms the way they say it in like the diagnosis manual. Instead it shows is just how the symptom presents. So when we talk about things in group, we will look at like how does that manifest in your behavior? Like how is the depression popping out? And a lot of times the first sign we see is irritability. We’re just not ourselves. Things get on our nerves easier. We don’t have a high window of tolerance that we used to have. So we just need to make sure that we’re talking about the symptoms. And once we recognize that they’re happening, generally people make corrections to their behavior or form new habits so they don’t do that and they learn new coping skills.”
If you know someone who is suffering from depression or anxiety, Schmitt-Monson says one way to help them is to listen to their concerns.
*Schmitt-Monson #2
“A lot of times we wait to react when someone says something to us instead of pausing and then responding. So don’t react to what they say to fill the space. Instead, give them a minute, tell them, ‘that sounds like what you’re going through is really hard.’ How are you doing that or what do you need from me? And let them kind of guide you. They will let you know, I need professional help or I just needed somebody to listen to me. So that’s the first step is just making sure you’re actually getting down what they’re saying and what they’re needing. After that, say, you know, if you want, I’ll go with you to the hospital if you feel like it’s that bad. Or what we do is we find them help.”
For information on what services Senior Life Solutions at Franklin General Hospital in Hampton provides, call 641-456-5935. If you or someone you know needs support now, call or text 988 or chat at 988lifeline.org.
