Turning Mental Health Awareness to Action

(Harlan) – May kicks off Mental Health Awareness Month, and Myrtue Medical Center invites the community to add action to awareness. Work to build awareness of mental health needs has gained traction in recent years. Based on recent community health needs assessments, local awareness of mental health is high, as surveys continue to list it as a top priority. However, people may feel uncertain when it comes to the best way to take action. Myrtue is offering two events this month to equip the community for that action: the second annual Mental Health Action Walk on Thursday, May 15, and Demystifying Mental Healthcare on Tuesday, May 20.

Myrtue invites the whole community to Pioneer Park on Thursday, May 15, from 5:30 to 7:30 pm, to celebrate mental health heroes at the second annual Mental Health Action Walk. May 15 is nationwide Mental Health Action Day, and this community walk celebrates all people who have a lived experience with a mental health condition, who support someone with a mental health condition, and who work in the mental health field. The walk will feature a short program with a powerful personal story and key information on mental health supports. Throughout the evening, community members can enjoy a festive environment with food trucks, live music, and resources and activities around the walking path. In case of inclement weather, the walk will take place at the Harlan Community Primary School, and weather-related updates will be posted on Facebook and the Myrtue website.

As one in four Americans will experience a mental health condition in a given year, seeking mental healthcare when symptoms arise is an essential mental health action. According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), the average delay between the onset of symptoms and seeking mental health treatment is 11 years. While it is never too late to seek treatment, early intervention is most effective and helps prevent conditions from deteriorating and contributing to even greater stress individually and within families, workplaces, and communities overall. Stigma remains a huge barrier to care, which includes all the misconceptions and negative associations with mental health and treatment. With the event Demystifying Mental Healthcare, the team at Myrtue hopes to fight stigma and normalize healthcare services that focus on mental health concerns.

Demystifying Mental Healthcare is an open house event on Tuesday, May 20, from 11 am to 1 pm at Myrtue Behavioral Health at 1110 Morningview Drive in Harlan. During this event, community members can stop by to meet mental health providers, learn more about key services such as therapy and medication management, and even watch short role plays of typical appointments. This event provides a great opportunity to take action by attending and bringing along friends or family to deepen understanding and normalize access to mental health services.

Both of these events are free and open to all. To learn more about either event, you can contact Myrtue at 712-755-5056, follow Myrtue Medical Center on Facebook, or visit https://www.myrtuemedical.org/events/.

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