For more than 50 years, America has celebrated May as Mental Health Month to raise awareness about mental illnesses and the importance of mental wellness for all. St. Luke’s Hospital invites everyone to join in this observance, which began in 1949.
This year, St. Luke’s Hospital is addressing these issues through two themes:
“Do More for 1 in 4” is a call to action to help the one in four American adults who live with a diagnosable, treatable mental health condition and to call attention to the fact that they can go on to live full and productive lives.
The second theme, “Healing Trauma’s Invisible Wounds,” focuses on the impact of traumatic events on individuals and communities. It centers around asking the person-based question: “What happened to you?”
“Good mental health is fundamental to overall health and is essential to personal well-being and the ability to lead a healthy, balanced, and productive life,” said Becky Brodar, RN, community outreach coordinator for the St. Luke’s Hospital Center of Behavioral Medicine. “Mental health problems can impair a person’s thinking, feelings and behavior, and they can be serious and disabling.”