CARROLLTON — The workers at Greene County Well being Division is taking psychological well being consciousness to a different stage by utilizing movies to let folks know it is OK to succeed in out, share their psychological well being story and search assist.
“Final 12 months we did our I-Plan (Illinois Mission Evaluation of Wants),” Greene County Well being Division Administrator Molly Peters mentioned. “A type of wants was psychological well being consciousness.”
Now, Peters and her workers are working with neighborhood members to create a sequence of movies to ship a easy however essential message — in the event you’re feeling any type of nervousness, despair or stress, or in the event you’re having suicidal ideas, it is OK to speak with somebody, whether or not it is a pal, member of the family or physician who will help you search counseling.
Within the well being division’s first video, one neighborhood member merely says, “… it is easy to be complacent with our psychological well being. Points come and go. However, keep in mind, the results you might have on family members can generally final eternally … do not let your satisfaction get in the best way.”
Peters is hoping the movies increase consciousness of the place folks can go to hunt assist, beginning with the well being division’s web site, however she additionally hopes to emphasise the significance of speaking with somebody.
“The extra folks share, the extra folks will help,” Peters mentioned, including that potential triggers for psychological well being points vary from substance abuse to the COVID-19 pandemic, the lack of a liked one or the lack of a job.
Peters is nicely conscious that folks might be afraid to inform their story and search help in coping with their psychological well being.
“It takes numerous braveness” to talk up, she mentioned. “Greene County is wanting to assist.”
Though the county’s well being division will not be a psychological well being facility, the division’s web site has assets to assist folks discover help, Peters mentioned.
A coalition arrange by means of the well being division additionally helps these searching for psychological well being help.
“We’re in search of folks” for the coalition, Peters mentioned.
One huge step is ending the stigma surrounding psychological well being, Peters mentioned.
“As folks share, we’re in a position to know our neighborhood higher, relate to struggles they’re dealing with, and talk what it’s like for somebody who has skilled residing life with despair, nervousness or different comparable experiences that affect our psychological well being,” she mentioned.
“As we put together to establish our neighborhood wants, we hope that folks share experiences, or assets, that they’ve discovered to be useful in enhancing psychological wellness.”
