OPINION
You never know what someone is experiencing.
Shortly before Christmas, I spoke with a local pastor about the side of the holiday and winter season that often is eclipsed by the joy and celebrations—mental health struggles.
According to an article published by the American Psychiatric Association in October, 41% of Americans said their mood declines in the winter months and 29% reporting that it affects their mental health.
Such struggles are not always seasonal, though.
The nonprofit Mental Health America produced 'The State of Mental Health in America,' and in it, the findings show that from 2021-22, almost a quarter of American adults experienced a mental illness.
'The number of individuals who died by suicide in 2022 was the highest number ever recorded in the U.S.,' according to mhanational. org.
There are resources available at www.samhsa. gov/find-support for a range of mental health issues, including how to help others who are battling depression or substance issues.
Mental health struggles are often a largely quiet disease.
They are connected to longstanding stigmas that make being open and transparent about such issues unlikely at best. Because they are such a silent issue, mental health struggles often take us by surprise. When we're lucky, those discoveries come through either a moment of self-awareness attached to requests for help or through a trained professional seeing the signs that someone is in danger of causing harm to themselves.
I've been through my own challenges with mental health in difficult times of my life.
To anyone who has been caught by surprise by a loved one harming themselves, know that sometimes there's no way to see the signs, even for a trained professional.
Grief is a monster to navigate, especially in the face of unexpected, life-altering events.
Please know you're not alone, and if you feel as though you are, reach out.
Abigail Allen is the Editor & Publisher of the Post-Signal. She can be reached at aallen@postsignal. com.
