May is Mental Health Awareness Month
The month of May is dedicated to raising awareness of mental health in America. Mental health affects how we think, feel, and behave every day. Mental health can be affected by genetics or life experiences. In many cases, there are ways to prevent and combat mental health disorders.
Mental health is more than the absence of disease. Mental health professionals have determined that mental well-being includes: the presence of positive emotions and moods, like contentment and happiness; the absence of negative emotions, like depression or anxiety; satisfaction with life; and/or fulfillment and positive functioning. The mental well-being of individuals also affects their family, friends and communities.
There are several external factors that contribute to mental health. Some of these include stress, social and economic factors, education, and nutrition. Ways to prevent negative impacts to our mental health are getting enough sleep, developing coping skills (i.e. keeping a journal or listening to music), getting some physical activity, and maintaining a well-balanced diet. Connecting with others, expressing kindness or gratitude, traveling, and discussing mental health can promote mental wellness, too.
The National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), states that 1 in 5 Americans experience a mental health condition every year. Some of the most common conditions are Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), anxiety disorders, depression, and Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). Many mental health disorders or illnesses are treatable. Knowing the early warning signs of these can help the individual suffering get proper help and improve the chances of recovery. Early warning signs include feelings and behaviors like: eating/sleeping too much or too little; pulling away from people and usual activities; having low or no energy; severe mood swings; feeling helpless or hopeless; and/or the inability to perform their usual daily tasks.
There are a number of programs and resources to help prevent and treat mental health disorders. Having a conversation or finding the appropriate counseling services can help those in crisis. You can find more information on how to approach these tasks at American Mental Wellness Programs and the National Alliance on Mental Illness – Find Support.
To learn more about mental health overall, please visit MentalHealth.gov, and National Institute of Health, and World Health Organization. More education and awareness of mental health across the nation can help reduce the prevalence of mental health disorders. Leading to healthier individuals and communities overall.
We are in the final month of the 85th Legislative Session. Sine Die, the final day, of this Session is May 29th. Until then, the Legislature will continue to hold hearings over bills in committees and decide matters in the House and Senate Chambers. To look up and/or track legislation that interests you, please visit Texas Legislature Online. You are able to look up legislation by word, phrase, or bill number in the top-middle section of this page. The left of the page has several links that will connect you to the Texas House of Representatives homepage and to the Texas Senate homepage.
To receive alerts of bills that interest you, please visit My TLO Login. You can create a free account by clicking on “New User” underneath the password box. Once you’ve created your login, you will see a line full of empty boxes. Under “bill”, you type in the bill number and leave the next box as “any category”. This will send you alerts each time the bill moves through the legislative process. You can also add notes. Finally, select “Add Bill”.
If you have questions regarding any of the information mentioned in this week’s article, please do not hesitate to call my Capitol or District Office. Please always feel free to contact my office if you have any questions or issues regarding a Texas state agency, or if you would like to contact my office regarding constituent services. As always, my offices are available at any time to assist with questions, concerns or comments (Capitol Office, 512-463-0672; District Office, 361-949-4603).
– State Representative Todd Hunter, District 32
Rep. Hunter represents Nueces County (Part). He can be contacted at todd.hunter@house.texas.gov or at 512-463-0672
