May is Mental Health Awareness Month — a time to reflect, connect, and, perhaps most importantly, speak up.
In a world that often feels rushed, noisy, and overwhelming, it’s never been more critical to have honest conversations about mental health. Whether it’s stress, anxiety, depression, grief, or something more complex, the reality is: we all struggle sometimes. And here in our community, those struggles are real, even if we don’t always see them.
Mental health still carries a certain stigma, especially in small towns where the pressure to appear “fine” can outweigh the need to ask for help. That needs to change. Talking about our mental well-being shouldn’t be taboo; it should be as normal as talking about a sprained ankle or a seasonal cold.
There’s hope, though. I’ve seen it. It’s in the schools offering wellness programs, in the local nonprofits quietly providing counseling and crisis support, and in neighbors checking in on each other, not just in times of tragedy, but on ordinary Tuesdays when something just feels off.
If you or someone you love is struggling, please know you’re not alone. And you’re not broken. You’re human. There are resources in our region — professionals, support groups, and community services — that exist for one reason: to help. Reaching out is a sign of strength, not weakness.
According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), the theme of Mental Health Awareness Month is “In Every Story, There’s Strength.”
NAMI adds, “Mental health journeys are unique, but the strength found within them is universal. ‘In Every Story, There’s Strength’ highlights the resilience and diverse experiences that shape mental health journeys within our community. NAMI’s campaign celebrates the power of storytelling to fuel connection, understanding, and hope for those navigating their own mental health path. Each story shared is a testament to the possibility of recovery and the strength that lies within us all.”
So let’s get a little personal and talk about my story.
I have struggled with Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD) since I was young. GAD is a mental health condition characterized by excessive, persistent worry and anxiety about a variety of everyday things, even when there is little or no reason to worry. It goes beyond the normal anxiety that people experience from time to time.
I’ve often been asked, “What do you even have to be anxious about?” Well, Karen… everything and nothing, all at once. That’s just how my brain works. Anxious is just my default setting and always will be. There are things I can do to help minimize the anxiety, but at the end of the day, minimization is the best I can do. I will always be at least a little bit anxious all of the time.
Sometimes it’s work, health, family, or bills. Sometimes it’s chores or running late. I once refused to go to a movie because, in my mind, we weren’t going to be early enough, and the idea of being late made me so anxious that I just refused to go.
Honestly, even the lack of issues can compound my anxiety because then I feel like I’m sitting around waiting for the next ‘thing’ to happen. Kinda like when Wile E. Coyote would just hang in mid-air before he realized he ran off the cliff?
For me, my anxiety is very much tied to my sleep. It’s the least fun cycle in the world. My anxiety goes up, it makes it more difficult to sleep, the less I sleep, the more my anxiety increases — see where I am going with this? Yeah, 10/10 don’t recommend. So I try to stay on a consistent sleep schedule as much as possible.
Other things that can and do help are exercise, especially yoga, and not being a complete fiend for caffeine.
It’s taken time to understand and manage it, and I’m still learning — but I’m not ashamed of it.
It can only help you and the people around you to tell your story. Let’s keep talking about mental health — not just in May, but always. Because our community is stronger when we take care of each other — and ourselves.
