Mental Health Awareness “Meet Up” With JED
Blog Post by Michelle New
May 2022
May is Mental Health Awareness Month and Project Glimmer would like to highlight the work of The JED Foundation, a nonprofit that helps young people strengthen their emotional health and prevents substance misuse, self-harm, and suicide. Project Glimmer recognizes the importance of mental health and we use our programs to instill confidence and emotional well-being into the girls and women we serve.
We connected with Dr. Janis Whitlock, a senior advisor with JED, who was able to answer some questions about mental health.
“It is common for people to move back and forth on the [mental health] continuum.”
- Dr. Janis Whitlock
What is “Mental Health”?
Mental health is a broad term that as a whole refers to the full continuum of wellbeing that goes from experiencing mental illness or other mental struggles to what we call “thriving” or “flourishing.” Everyone has experiences on this continuum over life and time. Moreover, it is common for people to move back and forth along the continuum in response to life circumstances, time in life, and other internal and external factors.
JED seems to focus on the mental health of teens and young adults. What is unique about this age group and why is it important to introduce the concept of mental health at this age?
Only adolescence rivals early childhood in the growth and complexity of developmental changes. In addition to the many social, emotional and identity-related changes we all experience at this time, there are significant bio-physiological and neurological changes occurring over the course of adolescence, as well. This makes it one of the most common times for the emergence of mental illness (age of onset for most mental illness is 15-24), much of which can be undetected and untreated for long periods if people do not know what to look for. Even when mental illness is not a factor, the many changes and transitions teens undergo can challenge mental health and leave youth and the people and systems that support them confused and in need of support and guidance.
How can people reach out to their friends that may be experiencing mental health issues?
The best first step is to get comfortable with the idea of reaching out. The next step is to get educated. Consulting resources like Seize the Awkward to acquaint yourself with conversation starters and discussion tips can really help. Likewise, understanding common mental health challenges, such as those described on the JED resource center, can also be helpful. When you are ready to reach out, pick a time and place that is comfortable, private, and where there are no time pressures. If your friend is hesitant to share, avoid pushing and keep the door open (see tips on how to do this at Seize the awkward). If you are worried about your friend’s current mental health status, get help.
How does JED’s “Mobilizing Communities” campaign work to combat negative stigmas associated with mental health?
Stigma thrives in environments that are high in lack of knowledge. People are often afraid to start hard conversations because they worry about getting in over their heads. Seize the Awkward and JED’s storytelling programs, along with the JED resource center and the Love is Louder website are all dedicated to increasing understanding and providing tangible and helpful skills and tips for starting and continuing challenging conversations.
What advice does JED have for young women that want to prioritize their mental health?
Make a daily self-care plan and stick to it as best as you can. Most of what is hard about prioritizing mental health is the discipline it takes to make it happen. It does not need to be time consuming or hard, but it may require you to carve out daily time to care for yourself, avoid stressors and distractions, and to make healthier choices about how you spend your time and care for your body, like making healthy food choices and getting plenty of sleep and exercise. It also requires increasing self-awareness, like realizing when spending time on social media or on-line is becoming a source of stress or is taking away time from healthy, wellbeing-supporting activities.
You can learn more about The JED Foundation and access their mental health resources at their website. You can also RSVP for an Empower Hour to hear the inspiring stories of women in their fields and learn more about our impact.