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Over the past several years, mental health awareness has increased in many ways.
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But being aware is not enough.
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Building mental health literacy is the next step.
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Here are four things you need to know about mental health literacy.
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1. understand how to foster and maintain good mental health.
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Everyone has mental health.
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Working towards building a healthy mind is unique for each of us as individuals.
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But research shows that five things can have a positive impact on your mental health:
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investing in positive relationships, eating healthy and nutritious food, making time for exercise, getting enough sleep, and helping others.
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As your life changes, so do your needs.
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Learning to adapt to these changes in order to maintain a healthy lifestyle is the process you work on throughout your life.
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2. understand mental disorders and their treatments.
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A mental illness or disorder is a medical condition diagnosed by a family doctor, psychiatrist, or a registered psychologist after certain criteria are met.
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Some mental illnesses may require medication and specific types of psychotherapy or other types of evidence informed treatment.
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You can learn about mental illnesses, their signs and symptoms, and when to access professional help.
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Changing the way we look at mental illness and thinking about it as we would a physical illness can help to decrease stigma, which leads us to...
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3. decrease stigma surrounding mental illness.
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Society is making progress to be more accepting of mental illness, but we have a long way to go.
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In addition, many people suffer from self stigma believing they're weak or flawed if they experience poor mental health or mental illness.
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Studies show that people still have negative connotations with the words mental illness.
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In order to break down the social stigma that still exists, we need to openly talk about mental health and mental illness,
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debunk the many myths that are out there, and be thoughtful about the languages we use to talk about these issues
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4. understand how to seek help effectively.
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We learn how to navigate the health system for our physical needs,
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and most of us know how to use first aid when we hurt ourselves or basic self care when we're sick.
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If the problems persist, we know when to see a doctor for expert help.
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However, when it comes to mental health, many people don't know where to start.
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Talking to supportive friends or family can help when going through a difficult time in your life.
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Seeking professional support from a counselor is helpful when mental health problems start to interfere with your ability to go about your daily life.
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And talking to your doctor is a good first step if you believe you're experiencing symptoms of a mental illness or disorder.
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Be sure to seek emergency medical attention if you know someone is at risk of harming themselves or someone else,
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or if they're experiencing hallucinations, a drug overdose, or a potential brain injury.
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We all have a role to play in supporting our own and each other's mental health.
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Developing mental health literacy is a great way to start.