Highlighting the importance of mental health awareness
While one in five people will experience mental illness over the course of their lifetimes, everyone will face challenges that can and will affect their mental health. Observed every year on October 10, World Mental Health Day seeks to raise awareness of mental health issues and highlights efforts to support mental health.
Acknowledging the state of one’s mental health issues is important, and so is being able to seek help when you’re struggling. ACA has provided sharable graphics and resources to support counselors around the world who play a crucial role for those struggling with their mental health.
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General Public Resources from the Counseling Corner
Put Nature To Work Fighting Your Stress
Yes, we live in a pretty stressful world these days. Whether it's international events, job pressures, or personal problems, most of us are touched by plenty of stress-producing situations every day.
Though we may not be aware of the ways stress is affecting us, it can actually harm us. Experts report that stressful environments can be a direct cause of anxiety and depression in our lives. Studies have found that excessive stress may be at least partly responsible for headaches, drinking problems and a variety of serious health issues.
So how can you better manage the stress in your life? While it may not be possible in today's hectic world to live a stress-free existence, there ways you can minimize the stress you may be feeling and to escape from it for at least a little bit. Researchers report that even small escapes from stress can offer real benefits.
Distractions are one way to reduce stress. Studies have found that adding a little nature to your life can be quite stress-reducing. Researchers say that people working in an office with no windows or just a view of a blank wall reported that the work environment became more pleasant and less stressful when they were able to look out and see a trees and sky. Something as simple as adding a potted plant or two to the area where you spent most of your day can also play a part in giving you a positive distraction that can reduce stress.
Even better is just to escape from your normal environment, if only for a short time. And by "escape" we mean nothing more than taking a walk. You can stop thinking about stressful things with just a short lunch time stroll through a nearby park or down a tree-lined street. Time with nature is an opportunity to not focus on the things contributing to a hectic, stressful life. You can listen to the quiet of nature, admire some budding flowers, or just smile at the squirrels scampering about -- all things to take the focus off what is stressing you.
A little time outdoors is an opportunity to enjoy the natural beauty around you and take a breather from the problems disturbing you. A short walk won't remove all the stress in your life, but it can give your mind a chance to relax and refocus, and that's a positive thing.
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