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Do You Know Your #Tools2Thrive?

Do You Know Your #Tools2Thrive?

While one in five people will experience a mental illness during their lifetime, everyone faces challenges in life that can impact their mental health. The good news is there are practical tools that everyone can use to improve their mental health and increase resiliency – and there are ways that everyone can be supportive of friends, family and co-workers who are struggling with life’s challenges or their mental health.

May is Mental Health Month and StarCare Specialty Health System (StarCare) is highlighting #Tools2Thrive – what individuals can do daily, especially during the uncertain times of the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, to prioritize their mental health, build resiliency in the face of trauma and obstacles, support those who are struggling and work toward a path of recovery. One of the easiest tools anyone can use is taking a mental health screen at mhascreening.org when they need answers. It’s a quick, free and private way for people to assess their mental health and recognize signs of mental health problems.

This May, StarCare is also exploring topics that can help individuals build their own set of #Tools2Thrive – recognizing and owning feelings; finding the positive after loss; connecting with others; eliminating toxic influences; creating healthy routines; and supporting others – all as ways to boost the mental health and general wellness of themselves and their loved ones.

When it comes to individual feelings, it can be easy to get caught up in emotions as they’re experienced. Most people don’t think about the emotions they’re dealing with but taking the time to really identify what they’re feeling can help them to better cope with challenging situations. It’s important for people to give themselves permission to feel. Also, life throws curveballs and at some point, everyone will experience loss. It may be the end of a relationship, being let go from a job, losing a home or the death of a loved one. It is natural to go through a grieving process. By looking for opportunity in adversity or finding ways to remember the good things about who or what’s been lost, people can help themselves recover mentally and emotionally.

It also is true that connections and the people around us can help overall mental health – or hurt it. It’s important for individuals to make connections with others who help enrich their lives and get them through tough times, but it’s equally important to recognize when certain people and situations in life can trigger them to feel bad or engage in destructive behaviors. Identifying toxic influences and taking steps to create a new life without them can improve mental and physical health over time.

In the face of COVID-19 and its impact on people as communities and the world responds, each day unfolds with change and new challenges – both of which bring anxiety, fear and stress for most individuals. The lack of what was considered a normal routine and finding the way to a new normal can be overwhelming. However, creating routines organizes the day in such a way that taking care of tasks, yourself and others becomes a pattern and makes it easier to get things done without having to think hard about them.



The tools used to stay mentally healthy are unique for each person. StarCare wants everyone to know that mental illnesses are real and recovery is possible. Finding what works may not be easy but can be achieved by gradually making small changes and building on those successes. By developing #Tools2Thrive, it is possible to find balance between work and play, the ups and downs of life and physical health and mental health – and set a path to recovery.

For more information on #Tools2Thrive, visit mhanational.org/may.
 
The mission of StarCare is to provide a diverse array of specialty healthcare services that support and empower people as valued members of the community. As a state-designated mental health, intellectual disabilities and substance use disorder authority, StarCare has the responsibility for the development, management and oversight of a system of care providers that serves more than 8,000 individuals within the five counties of Cochran, Crosby, Hockley, Lubbock and Lynn.

Content for this article provided by Mental Health America.

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