Mental health cannot be separated from physical health. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC):1
“Mental health includes our emotional, psychological, and social well-being. It affects how we think, feel, and act. It also helps determine how we handle stress, relate to others, and make healthy choices.”
Patient advocacy is hard work! And it can take a toll on your mental health. Not only do our Health Leaders live every day with chronic and terminal conditions, they also spend their time:
- Sharing their stories
- Doing outreach with communities
- Working with politicians to change laws
This can leave little time for things like self-care, rest, and leisure.
We hope to empower people with mental health challenges to share their journeys and not be afraid to speak up about their lives. On our Health Union condition-specific communities, we speak about mental health frequently. One of the resources we share again and again is about the myths, misconceptions, and facts of mental health.
If you have been wondering about mental health, whether your own or in general, check out the article to find out more!
Reference: About Mental Health. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Available at https://www.cdc.gov/mentalhealth/learn/index.htm. Accessed 10/20/2022.
