May is Mental Health Awareness Month, bringing attention to the importance of mental health and its impact on our overall wellbeing. To that end, here are five resources to help you better manage your mental health.

Take advantage of workplace resources.

With the passing of Proposition 118, more commonly known as Family and Medical Leave Insurance (FAMLI), Colorado workers have access to paid leave to care for themselves or their families during life-altering circumstances. Find out how your employer is implementing this new law and look for additional benefits they may offer to support mental health. For example, the new state law requires employers and employees to contribute premiums to the program. FirstBank announced it will cover both premiums for its employees in 2023.

The bank also continues to partner with Lyra Health to provide mental and emotional resources for employees. Through this free platform, subscribers can access self-care and skill-building videos, meditations, and activities to continue improving their mental health.

If you’re searching for tools and tips to support your workers’ or personally need help finding resources in the workplace, the U.S. Department of Labor has great toolkits, Q&As, and live chat features online.

Practice improving your emotional health. 

The National Institute of Health created an emotional wellness toolkit with six strategies to help better improve your emotional health.

1. Build resilience: Take time for yourself daily, look at problems from different angles, and practice gratitude.
2. Reduce stress: Build a reliable social support network, show compassion for yourself, set realistic priorities, and more.
3. Get quality sleep: Avoid stimulants like nicotine or caffeine and limit the use of electronics before bed. Make it a point to go to sleep at the same time each night.
4. Strengthen social connections: Foster relationships with your community members, travel and meet new people, take a class to learn something new, and more.
5. Cope with loss: Find a grief support group, seek professional help from your primary care physician or therapist, open up to loved ones, or journal.
6. Be mindful: Find mindfulness resources online, take deep breaths, enjoy a stroll to clear your mind, and more. Various apps focus on mindfulness, such as Calm, Headspace, and Insight Timer.

Leverage mental health organizations/nonprofits.

There are endless national organizations and nonprofits dedicated to mental health awareness, education, and support. FirstBank is the primary corporate sponsor for Colorado Gives Day, Arizona Gives, and Coachella Valley Giving Day. Each online giving platform supports charities and area nonprofits focused on mental health, from Reaching Hope and the National Alliance on Mental Illness to Mental Health America of Arizona.

Feel free to use hotlines.

In May 2022, the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) launched the National Maternal Mental Health Hotline. It provides confidential emotional support, information, and referrals to pregnant and postpartum individuals facing mental health challenges and their loved ones. The hotline (1-833-943-5746) is free and available 24/7, 365 days a year.

In addition, the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline has received over 20 million calls from people in distress looking for support when they need it most. The line (1-800-273-8255) is also free and available 24/7, 365 days a year.

Take a mental health quiz. 

Unfortunately, harmful attitudes towards mental health still exist. This can lead to people ignoring their wellbeing and reaching out less when they need help. To clear up any misunderstandings about mental health, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) created a quiz to separate the myths from the facts.  

Do you know at what age half of all mental illnesses occur? How much do mental illnesses cost Americans in lost earnings?

Take the quiz and find out.

Focus on your financial health. 

There’s a strong link between financial issues and mental health problems. According to Forbes, “stress is a big threat to our mental health and financial well-being. Because of its hazardous nature, stress clouds our judgment and leads to impulsive decisions that can have damaging consequences on our finances.”

With that said, here are five tips to help reduce financial stress:

• Create a budget tracker or use a planning app to help quickly monitor spending habits. This allows you to save for an emergency fund, pay down debt and avoid overspending.
• Automate monthly transfers or bill payments to avoid the stress of making payments on time.
• Meet with a financial planner if you’re overwhelmed with retirement planning, home buying, or student loan debt.
• Try new savings tips like the envelope budgeting system. This will help you categorize your needs and wants to better afford purchases.
• Be vigilant when it comes to online and mobile payments. Stressing over the cost of items may skew your judgment and increase your chances of falling victim to an opportunity that may be too good to be true.  

Though Mental Health Awareness Month is limited to May, your emotional and financial wellbeing is essential year-round. For more financial wellness tips, check out efirstbankblog.com.

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