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May is mental health awareness month. Know the signs to look for and how to help.

Pocono Record - 4/30/2021

May 1—After a year of isolation, messages of hope and healing have begun to crop up across the Poconos.

Wrapped around buses, tacked to storefront windows and printed across coffee sleeves, they promise: "You are not alone."

Saturday marks the beginning of Mental Health Awareness month, and local health professionals are reminding residents to seek help when they need and offer support where they can.

"We have a whole slew of different activities that we are doing," said Jennifer Williams, an administrator at Carbon Monroe Pike Mental Health and Developmental Services.

Throughout May, residents from all three counties can submit photos of how they practice self-care to the MHDS Facebook page for a chance to win a $50 Walmart gift card.

The "Stop the Stigma Rubber Duck" will also make appearances in different locations throughout the counties for people to take photos with and share across social media. For the second year in a row, people and businesses can also show their support for mental health awareness by displaying green lights outside.

Mental Health Awareness month has existed since 1949, but this year's follows a period of heightened social unrest and isolation. Kyrie Corbett, clinical director for PA Treatment and Healing, said she saw an influx of students struggling with anxiety and depression over the last year.

"They're self-isolating without realizing it," she said. "They're losing out on that social aspect which is really important for their mental health."

In a 10-year-old child, depression might manifest in anger, Corbett said. Older teens might isolate themselves and withdraw from sports or activities they once enjoyed.

Corbett said adults should be cognizant for the signs that their child or student might be suffering from anxiety or depression:

"They seem less engaged in classrooms. They're avoidant, they might be struggling with their schoolwork whereas before they were doing really well," she said. "They might be lashing out more easily."

Traumatic experiences or a family history of mental illness can cause some people to experience poor mental health, but depression and anxiety can affect anyone, Corbett said.

Data from the Carbon Monroe Pike Mental Health and Developmental Services shows that more than half of Americans will be diagnosed with a mental illness in their lifetime.

"It's OK to talk about this stuff," said Larissa Kimmel, who is helping lead the campaign as a coordinator at Carbon Monroe Pike Mental Health and Developmental Services. "It shouldn't be taboo to talk about."

In fact, giving someone the space to talk about what they're experiencing is one of the easiest ways to support someone who is struggling, she said.

"Check in with them: 'Are you OK? How are things going?'" she said. "When we can sit back and just listen unconditionally, and really repeat back to them what you're hearing, it helps them feel heard."

Kimmel hopes that efforts like Mental Health Awareness month can help destigmatize mental illness and give people the confidence and resources they need to prioritize their own mental health.

"We all go through ups and downs with how we feel, and how we cope, and how we connect with other people," she said. "Something simple that everybody else can do is just to be knowledgeable about what local resources are. It's not that complicated."

Those in need of support can contact the following agencies.

Carbon Monroe Pike Mental Health and Developmental Services: 800-338-6467

New Perspectives Crisis: 570-992-0879

Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 800-273-8255

Suicide Prevention Text Line: "Hello" to 741741

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