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.
- 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.
- 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.
