It’s Mental Health Awareness Month – Finding support and strength

EL PASO, Texas (KVIA) — Have you taken time for your mental health today? Experts say you should -- as May is Mental Health Awareness Month.

And there's no time like the present, as this year's theme is "Where to Start: Mental Health in a Changing World," according to Mental Health America. In particular, they want people to be aware of finding support as stressors increase -- across personal lives, global politics, rising prices and war.

"... when these pressures are impacting your daily life — what do you do when you think you might be
experiencing signs and symptoms of a mental health condition?" asks MHA. They provide toolkits for those wanting to get a better understanding of the support available around the globe.

The National Alliance on Mental Illness is also celebrating the month -- advocating for everyone to seize the day and find the support they need. "... with the Take the Moment campaign. We encourage you to join us in fostering open dialogues, cultivating empathy and understanding. We also urge you to share our resources to support individuals and families on their journey towards mental wellness."

Mental Health Awareness Month is focused on promoting general understanding of mental struggles, treatment and well-being. Many people think that the discussion around mental health is a recent development, but the tradition of Mental Health Awareness Month was started way back in 1949.

Today, ABC-7 looks back at the mental health coverage integral to the Be Mindful initiative.

If you need help, and are looking for support, you can find many options in the Borderland:

• Emergence Health Network Youth Corner
• Child Guidance Center Capacitar Program

• The Meadows Institute
• The National Child Traumatic Stress Network

• Dona Ana Crisis Triage Center
• Families and Youth Innovations Plus

• Mesilla Valley Hospital
• NAMI Southern New Mexico
• Peak Behavioral Health Inc.

• Advanced Neurology Epilepsy & Sleep Center
• Alfredo Arellano TMS of El Paso
• Aliviane Inc.
• American Heart Association
• Amistad Veterans Support
• Associated Behavioral and Trauma Specialties
• Atlantis Health Services
• Atrium Psychological Services
• Boys and Girls Clubs of El Paso
• Center for Children
• Centro de Salud Familiar La Fe
• Child Guidance Center
• City of El Paso Veteran Resources
• The Cognitive Behavioral Institute
• Country Club Med Spa
• Desert Imaging
• El Paso Behavioral Health System
• El Paso Children’s Hospital
• El Paso United Family Resiliency Center
• Emend Healthcare
• Emergence Health Network

• Family Service of El Paso
• Hospitals of Providence
• Katies Way
• La Clinical de Familia
• La Mente Behavioral Health
• Memorial Medical Center
• My Feels App
• NAMI El Paso
• Paso del Norte Children’s Development Center
• Paso Del Norte Health Foundation
• Project Vida Health Centers
• Recovery Alliance
• Rescued Minds
• Rio Vista Behavioral Health
• The ROTMENAS Collaborative
• San Vicente Family Health Centers
• Start Your Recovery
• Steven Cohen Military Family Clinic
• Team RWB
• UMC
• United Way Community Resiliency Center
• YMCA

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Avery Martinez covers mental health in the Borderland as part of ABC-7’s Be Mindful initiative. He is also a Report for America corps member. RFA places talented, emerging journalists in newsrooms like ABC-7’s to report on under-covered issues and communities. Report for America is an initiative of The GroundTruth Project, an award-winning nonprofit journalism organization dedicated to rebuilding journalism from the ground up.