There Is No Health Without Mental Health Defy The Stigma And Advocate For Your Mental Wellbeing
A stigma still exists around discussing our mental health, which too often can be an obstacle to individuals seeking necessary treatment and accessing the abundant resources available to help. This is especially important for older adults. Research shows one in four adults 65 and older experience mental health problems, but two-thirds of seniors don’t get the treatment they need. It’s important to recognize that our mental health is as 30
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important as our physical health, and actually affects our physical health. Depression can increase conditions such as diabetes, heart disease and stroke. Changes in our physical health and life circumstances as we age, such as chronic pain, loss of mobility and the death of a spouse or friends, are likely to affect our mental health. The two go hand-in-hand. More than two million Americans age 65 and older suffer from some sort of depression.
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In 1949 Mental Health America designated May as Mental Health Awareness month, seeking to increase awareness about the importance of mental health and wellness in the lives of all Americans. Unfortunately, 73 years later the mission is the same.
