Reducing The Stigma & Increasing The Conversation (Mental Health Awareness Month)

You may know us best as real estate agents, housing enthusiasts and proud parents (we mention our kids every chance we get!), but in this week’s blog we wanted to reaffirm our commitment as concerned members of the local community. In the busy Silicon Valley lifestyle, it’s extremely easy to lose sight of the passions, values and connections that make us not just friends and colleagues, but each other’s best advocates. You may know that Jason is a proud Board Member for Momentum For Mental Health (6 years and counting!), and in conjunction with May being Mental Health Awareness Month, we wanted to share some insights and events that inspire us all to be just a little better to each other in our local community.

THE PREVALENCE

Though not often talked about due to social stigma, 1 in 5 adults in the US experiences a mental illness in a given year.  With regards to our youth, 21.4% of individuals aged 13–18 experience a severe mental disorder at some point during their life. For children aged 8–15, the estimate is 13%. To learn more about who is impacted and how, view "Mental Health By The Numbers":

(DATA COURTESY OF THE NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF MENTAL HEALTH.)

MENTAL HEALTH MONTH

Since 1949, Mental Health Month has been observed in May by affiliates of Mental Health America (MHA) across the country. MHA provides toolkits and conducts awareness activities to help like-minded community and health organizations create conversation, reduce stigma and gain access to support services. The theme of Mental Health Month May 2017 is ‘Risky Business’ designed to "to educate people about habits and behaviors that increase the risk of developing or exacerbating mental illnesses, or could be signs of mental health problems themselves."

To learn more about the 6 components linked to mental health risk, please visit: http://www.mentalhealthamerica.net/may .

AWARENESS & SUPPORT

Social Media

In the last few months both Facebook and Instagram have taken actions to provide increased support and heightened awareness regarding the symptoms of mental health disorders. As reported by Fortune Magazine, Instagram dubbed the #hereforyou initiative to make it easier for those managing mental health related issues to find resources. (Read more in a blog post by Instagram Co-founder & CEO Kevin Systrom here: https://instagram-press.com/blog/2017/05/07/find-your-support-community-on-instagram/ ) .

In March of this year, Facebook partnered with Crisis Text Line, the National Eating Disorder Association and the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline to provide immediate and direct access to mental health service providers through Facebook Messenger. Other applications include artificial intelligence, pattern recognition and strategic responses via Facebook LIVE that provide help rather than cut-off support.

Local Organizations

Venture Christian Church | Living With Hope & Mental Health

http://venture.cc/events/2017/5/18/living-with-hope-mental-health

https://www.facebook.com/venturechurch

Happening tomorrow, Jason has helped organize this pre-launch event of the NEW Living With HOPE And Mental Health Ministry. All are welcome to attend this special evening with special guest, Toni Tullys, Director of Santa Clara County Department of Behavior Health Services. She will be speaking on the value of support within a community, reducing stigma and bringing people to living healthy lives. Please rsvp to carrie@venture.cc or 408-997-4646.

Thursday, May 18, 2017 | 7:00pm - 9:00pm  | 16845 Hicks Road Los Gatos, Ca, 95032 (Venue 2)

Momentum For Mental Health | Ongoing Services, Special Events & Ways To Give

https://www.momentumformentalhealth.org

https://www.facebook.com/MomentumforMentalHealth/

As the largest nonprofit provider of mental health services in Santa Clara County, Momentum offers treatment for adults, teens and families experiencing serious mental illness. Diverse programs offer access to youth, families, adults and older adults via crises intervention, early intervention, outpatient and residential services, employment assistance and much more.

NAMI Santa Clara County | Practical Experience, Support, Education, Comfort And Understanding

http://www.namisantaclara.org/

https://www.facebook.com/namisantaclaracounty

As our local branch of the National Alliance on Mental Illness, NAMI Santa Clara County works with "public organizations, private businesses and the media to increase organizational and personal knowledge of effective ways of treating the illnesses while advocating for increased research and improved services for individuals with mental illness." Save the date of September 23, 2017 for the NAMI Walks event filled with support in the forms of music, dance, culture and community!

The info above is merely the tip of the iceberg when it comes to local and national organizations, supportive efforts and ways to help. The #1 thing you can do as a community member is to help reduce the stigma by increasing the conversation. Mental health does not discriminate – but often people do. Recovery is possible – and by creating a community without judgement or barriers, we can increase the recognition of mental health disorders and pave the pathways to treatment together.

~ Mark & Jason