Maryland Community Newspapers Online
If you tune into cable news, they won't be talking about it. Your local news station probably won't be covering it either. But a silent crisis is affecting people everywhere. It may not be in the news every day, but it could be affecting you or someone you know, and for too long, it has gone unnoticed and ignored. And the story is mental health.
The truth is mental health issues touch us all. Often those affected and those around them remain silent because there is still a stigma attached to mental health issues.
But we can no longer afford to remain quiet or speak in hushed tones. Not when the economic situation in the country is putting even more stress on our already busy and hectic lives. At the Mental Health Association of Montgomery County, we've seen a dramatic increase of calls requiring suicide assistance to our hotline, and a more than tenfold increase in the number of people citing economic troubles as the reason for their call.
MHA has been an advocate for mental wellness for over 50 years, in times of crisis, in economic good times and bad. We are dedicated to ensuring that all county residents have the opportunity to live the healthiest lives possible, and to make the most of their greatest resource: their mind.
And there are things everyone can do to help improve their mental wellness.
They can exercise more and eat better to keep their body more physically fit. More sleep helps your well being and combats stress, and helping others through volunteer work is a great way to gain a better sense of calm while helping the community.
Employers can also take steps to support their workers, like being sensitive to employees' work/life challenges and providing support and information for employees trying to cope in these challenging times. Research shows that even those employees who keep their job are affected when there are layoffs — it affects us all.
The MHA offers many services, including a 24/7 hotline (301-738-2255); partnerships with the public schools; and our new Military Outreach Initiative (a partnership with the Montgomery County Department of Health and Human Services), which offers support services, information and referrals to our returning veterans and their families (301-738-7176).
We encourage everyone to talk about mental wellness openly and honestly.
In these tough economic times people are hurting, families are struggling, and the uncertainty of it all can be overwhelming. But together, we can work to make our families and communities stronger and achieve better mental wellness for everyone.
Sharon Friedman, Rockville
The writer is executive director of the Mental Health Association of Montgomery County.
-24/7 hotline: 301-738-2255, for crisis and suicide intervention/prevention, information and supportive listening.
-Military Outreach Initiative: 301-738-7176, for information and referrals for veterans and their families.
-Youth Crisis Hotline: 301-738-9697, for counseling, crisis and suicide intervention/prevention, and information.
-Mental Health Association of Montgomery County: 301-424-0656 or www.mhamc.org