Mental Health Awareness For Moms

Mental Health Awareness For Moms

Mental Health Awareness For Moms

Mental Health Awareness For Moms.

May is mental health awareness month. This subject is one that is slowly getting more attention. We have a long way to go, but as long as the conversation is starting, we are heading in the right direction. Having celebrated Mother’s Day yesterday, I am aware that these two topics are closely related. Mental health and motherhood have a strong connection for many reasons.

  • Mothers endure a great deal of responsibility for human life. This means we play a role in building the emotional intelligence of not only our children, but within our family dynamic which may include spouses, in-laws, and other relatives.
  • Mothers have very little time for self-care and can often be the first member of the family to suffer from emotional and physical exhaustion.
  • Some of us have lost mothers or children and it can be emotionally overwhelming to carry on without them.
  • Women, throughout our lives deal with a variety of hormonal shifts that play a key role in our emotions on a daily basis. The most significant being peri-menopause and menopause right about the time our children are hitting their late teens and into college years. Sometimes this represents a different type of loss and many women become anxious over such a significant change.

Today, I encourage you to be aware of two things.

  1. Are you in need of an emotional boost and if so what does this look like for you? Maybe it’s as simple as a massage, a long walk, 8 hours of sleep, or lunch with a best friend. Perhaps it’s making an appointment with a medical professional.
  2. Do you have a friend or family member who is struggling? Being aware of those around us and changes in their moods or behavior can make a major difference.

Mental health awareness is critical. It takes families and communities coming together to support one another. I pray you will take care of yourself and look out for others around you. Together we can influence a positive shift in this topic and it starts with taking care of ourselves, so we have the energy and compassion to take care of others.