Mental Health Awareness Month

For 2021’s Mental Health Awareness Month, Stonington joins towns and cities around the country to amplify the message of “You Are Not Alone.” It is critical that we all work to help in combating stigma, educating ourselves and others and ensuring we are prioritizing mental health needs.

Mental health is an issue that touches nearly everyone's life in some shape or form. 1 in 5 U.S. adults experience mental illness each year; and for 1 in 20 it is a serious mental illness.

60% of youth with major depression did not receive any mental health treatment in 2018. Even in States like CT, with strong resources available, 1 in 3 do not access treatment. Suicide is the 2nd leading cause of death among people aged 10-34.

We know that we can and must do better.

For our part in Stonington, we have in place a number of resources thanks to our team at Human Services. We also have a new position that was created to help improve our connection with resdients in need, and work in close parthership with our Police Department.

We have also been working on a pilot campaign, which we annouced as part of Mental Health Awareness Month. This new campaign is aimed at building better public awareness of the resources available for support and referral through 211 – the state’s primary phone-based health and human services referral system.As a key part of the campaign, a focus will be on the different resources 211 can leverage vs 911. Through education and outreach, we will promote enhanced awareness among Stonington residents of which to call, when for the services and assistance they need. We hope the results from this pilot can help lead the way for further action across the State. You can read more about this pilot campaign here.

In Stonington we want to do all we can take a proactive role in removing the stigma that is all too often linked with mental health issues and ensure residents are able to connect with the best resources available. If you have further ideas for us, or want to engage more on this topic please reach out anytime.

Take Action

There are many ways you can help. A few ideas are outlined below.

Support others. There are simple things that every person can say or do to help the people in their life who are struggling to get through the tough times. Here are 7 tips for supporting others. Also know that when you take steps to help others, you are often also improving your own mental health. Another way to support others is by sharing your personal story with friends, family and even more broadly. For Mental Health Awarenss Month, consider using social media for a positive impact and share your story with #NotAlone.

Self-care. Just like your physical health, we also need to focus on our mental health. First, screening for mental health conditions should be just as normal as screening for cancer, diabetes, heart disease, or any other chronic health condition. Taking a mental health screening is one quick way to determine whether you are experiencing symptoms of a mental health condition. You can also speak with your doctor, reach out to 211 or our team at Human Services. Further, finding ways to decompress are critical to your mental health. Whether it’s a walk, gardening, reading, or calling a friend,. More ideas for boosting your mental health can be found here.

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Mental Health Awareness Month