Minding our mental health

ShareThis

May has been designated as Mental-Health Awareness Month. It helps us remember that we need to stay vigilant about our loved ones and ourselves when it comes to how we are feeling and dealing with our emotions.This year's theme is "Get Connected" -- helpful advice when it comes to keeping us on the path of well-being. It's easy to get distracted and to neglect ourselves. Sometimes a loved one sincerely asking, "How are you doing?," is what we need to make sure our systems are in working order.Being aware of your emotional state is important for successful interpersonal relationships. On some days, you may only have enough energy for yourself, and that's totally OK, as long as you let those close to you know where you are. If we deplete ourselves emotionally, or if we don't take the time or get the help we need to heal, we can project our pain onto those we care for, and that's never a good thing.If you have questions about your emotional health, many Web sites can give you a lot of information, such as www.NIMH.gov. Unfortunately, some stuff on the Web isn't accurate, and some of it can actually be harmful. Before you diagnosis yourself or a loved one, seek out a professional evaluation. Even with the best information available, you can't be totally objective when it comes to your own state of mind. In addition, many emotional disorders can distort your thinking. So it's important to see a doctor.That said, the stigma around mental illness continues to prevent many folks from seeking help. This is especially true for younger people. The mainstream media have been helpful in bringing family therapy into the family room: from television shows that do on-air therapy to radio shrinks giving advice, not to mention all the magazines with attention-grabbing headlines about some celebrity going to rehab.Yet the idea of getting help for an emotional challenge is still humiliating for some. Look, if you had a broken leg, you'd get a cast put on it. If you have a depression or an anxiety attack, you need to get a therapeutic cast to help it heal. There's no difference. The broken leg is just a lot more obvious.Prevention and early intervention can make the difference between recovery and suffering for many of those who may be dealing with an emotional health issue. So take a moment and do an emotional inventory. It's a good idea, Mental-Health Awareness Month or not.(Dr. Barton Goldsmith, a marriage and family therapist in Westlake Village, Calif., is the author of "Emotional Fitness for Couples."E-mail him at Barton(at)BartonGoldsmith.com)