Have you ever asked yourself…
Look Around, Look Within
In May of each year, we elevate our voices even further for Mental Health Awareness Month. This year, we echo the call of Mental Health America in asking you to “Look Around, Look Within” and consider how your surroundings might impact mental health.
Scroll down to learn about some of the supports and services available.
DBHIDS is dedicated to educating, strengthening, and serving individuals and communities so that all Philadelphians can thrive. This month — and every month — always remember: It’s OK to not be OK. You’re not alone. We are here to help.
Take a Minute to Breathe
It happens to all of us. Feelings like anxiety, stress, and fear cause our breathing to be shallow, irregular, or rapid. It’s entirely normal. Our body’s automatic response is to protect itself. The trick is to focus not on what’s happening around us, but to what is happening within us. We are breathing. It’s our most basic instinct.
Practicing steady, deep breathing delivers more oxygen to the body and brain, reduces your heart rate and decreases the release of cortisol—better known as the stress hormone. Deep breathing also releases endorphins. This in turn increases a sense of calm and can combat pain.
Learn more about the benefits of breathing exercises from our blog.
Mental Health First Aid
Many of us would know how to help if we saw someone having a heart attack—start CPR, or at the very least, call 9-1-1. But too few of us would know how to respond if we saw someone having a panic attack or if we were concerned that a friend or co-worker might be showing signs of alcoholism.
Let’s make Mental Health First Aid as common as CPR. Find out how to get trained for free.
Virtual Mental Health First Aid® Trainings, sponsored by the City of Philadelphia, Department of Behavioral Health and Intellectual disAbility Services, are now available with limited seating in each course. This course is provided at NO COST to those who live, work or study in the City of Philadelphia.
From the Blog
Beleaf it!
Have you noticed a difference in your energy and mood after interacting with nature? How about going for a walk through your favorite park or smelling your favorite flower? Do you leave feeling more relaxed? Calm? Have a smile on your face? If you tried any of those activities and noticed a positive and uplifting shift in your energy and mood, your mental health likely was positively impacted by nature.
Secondary Traumatic Stress
The stories social workers (and other caregivers) have can be buzzkills at parties. Our work is tough, and most folks don’t want to hear about it. This isn’t to paint us all as saints. We knew it was tough when we chose our line of work. But it can be very lonely to sit with our experiences, especially when you get secondary traumatic stress (STS).
