“Every great dream begins with a dreamer. Always remember, you have within you the strength, the patience, and the passion to reach for the stars to change the world.” ~ Harriet Tubman
Mental Health Monday Message
Black Maternal Health week allows us to come together and advance health equity across the country on behalf of all racial and ethnic minorities.
It is imperative that we acknowledge the hardships that people face. It takes a unified effort to empower people in our community. Empowerment begins with defining and acknowledging the systemic barriers that act as root causes in our communities, and working together to facilitate change.
As we strive to create change, we must look at some of the stigmas and inequalities within our communities that can create barriers to people accessing care. When people do not access care, mental health conditions can go untreated and make things worse in one's life.
Read more about rewriting the narrative to find out just how alarming the Black maternal health crisis has become in the U.S. today.
Remember, there are several ways to help support and empower people through health issues they may be experiencing. Understand that there is a lack of cultural competency surrounding the matter of how to access mental health resources. Know that untreated mental health concerns such as anxiety, stress, and depression increase the possibilities for perinatal mood swings, anxiety disorders, and other health concerns that present during pregnancy, and can continue postpartum up to a year after birth.
Focus efforts on supporting the integration of mental health providers into physical healthcare settings, and pregnant women’s care teams. Listen to what people have to say. Validate the experiences of people. Provide platforms for voices to be heard. Realize that mental health is a piece of the whole, as it pertains to the well-being of an individual.
There is no health without mental health.
Continue to create spaces that amplify the voices of people in our society. When you see something, say something. Celebrate that together we are taking steps to improving our community in its totality.
There is a Path to Wellness
You are not alone. Many people are experiencing a mental health concerns: Depression, Anxiety, Stress, Substance Use, Loneliness...
Sometimes it helps to have someone to talk to, someone to listen, someone that makes you feel heard. If you need to talk, professional counselors are here to hear you and offer real help on the New Mexico Crisis and Access Line 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year.
Call us at 1-855-662-7474 if you need to talk.
