Advice, Tips and Services for Taking Care of Your Mental Health

May is Mental Health Awareness Month, a time to spread awareness, educate the public and support those living with mental health conditions.

"It's so important to have these conversations because we're finding more and more individuals are dealing with stress that's leading to depression and anxiety, especially thinking about the landscape of the current world," said Kelsey Okolowitcz, Director of Integrated Behavioral Health Operations at Southcoast Health.

Warning Signs That Someone May Be Struggling

Not everyone comes right out and says 'I'm struggling" or "I need some help." If you're curious as to what warning signs or potential red flags to be aware of, Okolowitcz suggests the following:

"Common signs are going to include any noticeable changes in moods such as increased anxiety, sadness, irritability, changes in sleep habits or eating habits that kind of deviate from someone's baseline or norm," she said.

READ MORE: Child & Family Services Is Now A SouthCoast Leader in Mental Health

Isolation can also be common in those struggling with their mental health.

"If you have someone that's typically very social and engaged with their group of friends and now all of a sudden they're starting to isolate and decline going to activities or we might see changes in work and school performance," Okolowitcz said.

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"Then there's also sometimes we see some frequent complaints about physical symptoms without a clear medical explanation." she added.

Things like headaches, fatigue and even stomach aches can all be cause for concern "and of course anyone verbalizing any feelings that they're overwhelmed or any mention of self-harm or suicide is definitely a red flag that someone is in need of help," Okolowitcz added.

READ MORE: SouthCoast Communities Observing 988 Day for Suicide Awareness

Keep a Positive Outlook

"Positive thinking and expressing gratitude is very powerful for our mind. One thing that's important to remember is one good thought doesn't necessarily mean that it's gonna make everything better that day, but over time, practicing gratitude and trying to reframe negative thinking into a positive light is gonna have small changes that are gonna impact us over time and help our overall well-being," Okolowitcz said.

Tips for Lowering Stress

To keep our stress low, Okolowitcz suggests creating a healthy work-life balance.

"Try to establish routines that prioritize your sleep and healthy eating," she said. "Engage in regular exercise such as walking, running, yoga, or even going to the gym."

When approaching someone who you think may be struggling, make sure you're coming from a place of openness and acceptance.

"Sometimes an individual just needs someone to listen to them, coming from a place without judgment," Okolowitcz said.

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Services Available in Our Area

If you are experiencing unsafe thoughts, Okolowitcz wants to assure you that you are not alone.

"Emergency rooms at St. Luke's, Tobey and Charlton Hospitals are staffed with caring professionals ready to help," she said.

"If anyone is a primary care patient of Southcoast Health, we have begun embedding behavioral health clinicians into our PCP office to help individuals with depression, anxiety, or stress and offer them counseling in the medical office," Okolowitcz said.

"There's also the Massachusetts Behavioral Health Help Line which offers real-time support for helping anyone navigate mental health treatment and that is available 24-7," she said.

The Massachusetts Behavioral Health Help Line number is 833-773-2445 (HELP).