The truth is we are always changed by the challenges we overcome, and integrating what we’ve learned about ourselves in the aftermath is one of the key elements of building resilience. We set the definition of success after a traumatic event as “returning to normal,” even when returning to a past normal is impossible.
We pressure grieving people to “get over it” to make others more comfortable. We see this in grief all the time: No one wants to allow people to be sad. We all need mental health support at many times in our lives what a gift it would be if accessing that help were viewed as just part of normal life. Normalizing caring for and seeking help with mental health is a gift we can give ourselves and the next generation. Or if picking up your mood stabilizing medication was viewed in the same way as picking up your blood pressure medication. Imagine if meditation were as popular as weight loss. We have to model good mental health care by learning about mental health with the same vigor we use to learn about physical health. The pervasive stigmatizing narrative that implies that seeking mental health support shows weakness or that a mental illness or the breakdown of our mental health for any reason is something to be ashamed of has a significantly negative impact on our society, especially our young people.ĬNN Hero Michele Neff Hernandez Sam Comen/CNN Yet, when we are struggling with our mental health for any reason – including grieving a death, experiencing a traumatic event, even coping with the global and national crises that are a part of our daily narrative – we so often hesitate to seek mental health support. Michele Neff Hernandez: When our body isn’t working well, going to a doctor to seek the cause or to help alleviate symptoms is considered normal and even responsible. Mental illness is common, yet the stigma surrounding it is often a hurdle for people seeking the treatment they need. Michele Neff Hernandez: Mental health is as important as physical healthįor Neff Hernandez, whose organization helps widowed people connect with each other in a community of support, it’s important for everyone to know they aren’t alone in their struggle. Below are edited versions of their conversations.
Some of them marked Mental Health Awareness Month by sharing advice and insight with CNN’s Elizabeth Belanger about what is working for their communities. Neff Hernandez is one of many CNN Heroes who have found unique ways to help people with their mental health. “We can see what happens when people don’t get the help they need there can be tragic consequences.” And we have seen it over and over again as we experience gun violence,” said Michele Neff Hernandez, a 2021 CNN Hero who has helped millions navigate grief and loss through her nonprofit Soaring Spirits. “One of the things that we underestimate as a society is how our global mental health impacts us as individuals. In 2021, less than half of adults received treatment.Īmerica’s mental health crisis is having a widespread impact that touches everyone. For many, this constant bad news adds to the stress of everyday life, which may already feel overwhelming.Īccording to the National Alliance on Mental Illness, each year in the US, one in five adults experience mental illness and one in six children aged 6 to 17 experience a mental health disorder. May is Mental Health Awareness Month, and this year it seems to coincide with a flurry of violent headlines.
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