A recent study by Mental Health America found nearly 60 million Americans experienced a mental health illness in the past year. With so many people affected, it’s important to learn more about mental health and how you can prioritize your overall wellbeing. Here are six resources to help you get started.

1. Take advantage of state and employer resources.

Some states and employers offer paid family and medical leave policies like the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA), which gives workers time to care for themselves or their families in cases of childbirth, adoption, and personal or family illness. However, it may look different in each state. For instance, Family and Medical Leave Insurance (FAMLI) grants Colorado workers access to paid leave during life-altering circumstances. Find out how your employer implements paid leave and look for additional benefits they may offer to support mental health.

Additionally, some employers work with mental health providers that offer supplemental resources. In fact, FirstBank partners with Lyra Health to provide mental and emotional support for its 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.

2. 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.

3. Leverage mental health organizations/nonprofits.

There are endless national organizations and nonprofits dedicated to mental health awareness, education, and support. Programs and partners like Colorado Gives Day and Coachella Valley (CV) Giving Day support dozens of mental health nonprofits through its annual online giving initiative. You can browse each site to find credible mental health nonprofits and resources in your area.  

4. 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 (1-833-852-6262) is free and available 24/7, 365 days a year.

In addition, the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline is available for 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.

5. 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.

6. 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, homebuying, or student loan debt.
• Try new savings tips like the envelope budgeting system also known as the cash-stuffing trend. 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.  

Building a strong foundation for mental health is key to your overall emotional and financial wellbeing. For more financial wellness tips, check out efirstbankblog.com.

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