Pendulum Counseling Services

Happy Mental Health Awareness Month!

Mental Health Awareness Month is from Wednesday, May 1st 2024- Friday, May 31, 2024.

Stay tuned for highlights and updates throughout the month!

Our focus will be on promoting mental health & wellness!

As well as sharing related information and statistics.

According to the American Psychiatric Association (2022)

Mental illnesses are health conditions involving changes in emotion, thinking or behavior (or a combination of these). Mental illnesses can be associated with distress and/or problems functioning in social, work or family activities. Mental illness is treatable. The vast majority of individuals with mental illness continue to function in their daily lives.

Nami (2023) found that millions of people suffer each year in the United States due to mental illness.

Measuring & collecting data on mental illness is crucial. As this allows for a deeper understanding of the physical, social, and economic impacts of mental health struggles.

Measuring & collecting data on mental illness also helps to reduce stigmas, raise awareness, & to let individuals know that they are not alone.

Many people struggle with mental illness.

It is common & it is not something to be ashamed of.

Additionally, collecting data on mental illness provides evidence that greater access to health care is needed.

On a daily basis in America, people struggling with mental illness succeed at work, create, present, play, experience joy, & love (paras. 1).

Nami (2023) found that

1 in 5 U.S. adults experience mental illness each year
1 in 20 U.S. adults experience serious mental illness each year
1 in 6 U.S. youth aged 6-17 experience a mental health disorder
each year
50% of all lifetime mental illness begins by age 14, and 75% by age 24

Su***de is the 2nd leading cause of death among people aged 10-14

Annual prevalence among U.S. adults, by condition:
Schizophrenia:

Happy Mental Health Awareness Month!

Mental Health Awareness Month is from Wednesday, May 1st 2024- Friday, May 31, 2024.

Stay tuned for highlights and updates throughout the month!

We will focus on promoting mental health & wellness!

SAMSHA (2024) highlights that for this second week of Mental Health Awareness Month we will be focusing on the mental health of older adults.

As we age we change.

This continues to happen throughout the course of life.

We are faced with new challenges & sometimes more is added on to our plates!

It is never too late to seek support!

There are a variety of struggles that older adults may face.

Such as losing interest in certain activities.

Having conversations around mental health can help individuals to feel more comfortable asking for help when it is needed.

Receiving mental health supports can help older adults to live their lives optimally.

Visiting with older adults can bring meaningful connection & enrich lives!

Take the time to visit with the older adults in your life & reap the benefits that genuine connection can bring!

Mental health is important at every age.



SAMSHA (2024) writes, “Age joyfully! Consider your passions and interests and pursue something that brings you happiness and fulfillment.” Pendulum Counseling Services is here to provide support to anyone seeking counseling services. We know that finding the right provider is important & that there are a lot of options when seeking mental health services. Pendulum Counseling Services is accepting new patients & welcomes returning patients.

Happy Mental Health Awareness Month!

Citation
“2024 Mental Health Awareness Month Toolkit.” SAMHSA, www.samhsa.gov/mental-health-awareness-month/toolkit. Accessed 5 May 2024.

Kristen Luft of Caring House says

“All of us have experienced grief in one way or another throughout our lives.

As part of the human experience, grief encompasses the emotions that appear in response to loss.

Sorrow and suffering, although painful, are a natural reaction to loss.

Whether grieving the death of a loved one, or grieving a relationship, job loss, or other life event, the process of grief is something that comes in waves and is not linear.

Every individual has a unique journey through grief, which often includes stages such as denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and acceptance.

National Grief Awareness Day takes place on August 30th each year, with the mission to educate people on grief and create space for loss.

Grief doesn’t always entail the loss of a life.

It can occur through life transitions, changes in identity, and both large and small traumas.

You may be grieving a cancer diagnosis and an idea of what you thought your life would look like. Regardless, every type of grief is valid.

There are numerous ways to cope with loss and grief. You can find support through therapy and support groups.

Be gentle and patient with yourself as you honor grief, and don’t be afraid to ask for help from loved ones.

Express yourself through hobbies, art or writing, and come up with ways to process and honor what you’ve lost.

Grief is like a never-ending ocean.

Waves that feel engulfing, waves that can pull you under, and waves that you somehow, can get through. But you are not alone in your grief.

In time, the waves will pass, and you will resurface (Luft, 2022).”

Reference

Luft, K. (2022, August 31). National grief awareness day. Caring House. https://caringhouse.org/news/national-grief-awareness-day

Let us keep this in mind & carry this with us through the end of the week.

Remember that even something as simple as smiling at a stranger can change the course of their day & mean the world to them.

https://www.pendulumcounseling.net/blog/living-with-adhd
Read our new blog post on Living with ADHD by Brooke Lynch!

May is Mental Health Awareness month! First established in 1949 by Mental Health America, it's purpose is to draw attention to the importance of mental health, illness, and recovery.

Please reach out to us at Pendulum Counseling for inquiries about mental health, services available, or to schedule counseling sessions. Your mental health is important! 331-481-9885

Pendulum Counseling Services At Pendulum, we provide individual and couple's counseling sessions, for teens through adults.

Virtual session openings, contact us today. In-person coming soon!

Casey Wegner, Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor, Oak Brook, IL, 60523 | Psychology Today Casey Wegner, Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor, Oak Brook, IL, 60523, (847) 469-1633, In the last few years, we have seen an increase in individuals experiencing stress, sadness, and frustration that can be harming their careers, relationships, health, finances, and life satisfaction. Whethe...