The last two years have been stressful for everyone, from children to adults, and staff at Linn County Mental Health want people to know that it’s OK to sometimes feel overwhelmed.
They also want you to know that help is available anyone with serious mental health concerns at no charge by calling (541) 967-3866.
Members of the Linn County Mental Health Crisis Team are available by calling 1 (800) 304-7468, or dial 9-1-1.
According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness, 1 in 5 adults has experienced a mental illness, and 1 in 20 has experienced a serious mental illness. One in 15 adults has experienced a substance-use disorder and mental illness at the same time and more than 12 million adults have had serious thoughts of committing suicide.
Young people also experience mental health issues. One in six children ages 12 to 17 have had a major depressive episode and 3 million have had serious suicidal thoughts.
One in five young people say the COVID-19 pandemic had a significant negative effect on their mental health and one in 10 young people under the age of 18 have experienced a mental health condition following a COVID-19 diagnosis.
Educators report major behavioral issues among students as they have returned to in-school learning.
The Linn County Mental Health Advisory Board offers the following suggestions to help mid-valley residents deal with stress/mental illness:
General/Stress
Changes in sleep patterns, a decreases in energy levels, changing eating habits and self-isolation may be a sign of chronic stress.
Some helpful tips to combat chronic stress includes allowing time to relax, reaching out to positive people and asking for support.
Sleep
Did you know that “lack of sleep” can affect mental and physical health?
According to the Sleep Association, between 50 to 70 million U.S. adults have a sleep disorder.
This lack of sleep may result in concentration difficulty, increased irritability, a desire for a nap or memory problems.
Some helpful tips include a comfortable sleep area, turning electronics to nighttime mode, creating a night time routine or having a regular wakeup time after hectic evenings.
Physical Exercise
Many people think of physical activity as exercising at the gym, sports and sweating. However, dishwashing, dog-walking, lawn-mowing and playing with the kids also qualify.
Physical activity is directly related to mental health. It relieves stress, improves memory, helps with sleep and boosts overall mood.
The Department of Health and Human Services recommends at least 150 minutes of moderate physical activity every week.
This could involve walking the family dog for 10 minutes three times a day during the week or maybe as simple as taking the children to the park for half an hour a few days a week.
Eating Habits
A well-balanced diet can affect mental health.
Some easy ways to work on healthy eating habits include drinking a glass of water before you eat a meal, bringing a healthy snack instead of buying something on the run, not skipping meals and keeping variety in a diet.
It’s important to remember eating healthy isn’t one size fits all; figure out what works best for you.
– Alex Paul, Linn County Communications Officer