is recognized on October 10 every year, and a local mental health organization says it’s a good time to highlight the need in the community and let people know they’re not alone.
The theme for this year’s World Mental Health Day is ‘Making mental health and well-being a global priority.’
“Mental illness has been a challenge in our society and it’s because of the stigma that’s around it,” Rick Coates, National Alliance on Mental Illness Executive Director, says.
In recent years there has been a focus on talking more about mental health, with the goal of ending that stigma. (NAMI) has one chapter in northern Michigan.
“Anything we can do to end the stigma, and as a person that suffers from mental illness myself and who suffered with it for a very long time. The most freeing thing in my life is when I shared my story. And ended the stigma for myself,” Coates says.
that millions of people in the US are affected by mental illness, including 1 in 5 adults and almost as many kids.
“I think we all know someone with a mental health condition or have experienced it ourselves. And it can be a very overwhelming, traumatic, difficult time for someone who might not feel like they have the courage to speak up. Or might have been treated poorly when they did speak up,” Jessie Perez, a NAMI Navigator, says. “If something doesn’t feel quite right, always reach out.”
For a non-profit, awareness makes a big difference. But donations do, too. A local casino is helping to brighten the mood for NAMI.
“World Mental Health Day is so important to this community and everywhere throughout the world. I think sometimes it has a stigma attached to it. It’s a medical condition and we need to look at it that way,” Tracy Kurtz with Grand Traverse Resort & Casino Public Relations says.
That’s why Turtle Creek and Leelanau Sands casinos are targeting a donation to NAMI as part of Cash In on Kindness, where casino guests can donate a portion of their winnings to a good cause.
“I think it’s important to have the support, the education, the advocacy, everything that NAMI does, for all the people that live here,” Kurtz says.
Coates is very appreciative. “This is huge for us, we have been a very small grassroots-based organization here in northern Michigan.”
More than $4,000 will help NAMI with their efforts.
“I can help be an advocate for them in the community, connect them to therapy, maybe inpatient treatment. I like to help them build what I call their mental health ‘toolbox.’ Make sure they have places to go, people to talk to,” Perez says.
NAMI says mental health challenges affect all age groups, from school age children to senior citizens. And now they’re working a special program called ‘Homefront’, that will provide mental health resources to local veterans. They plan to unveil that program after the first of the year.
“Whatever your struggles are there’s always hope. Don’t give up. There’s always something out there that will be able to help you,” Coates says. “If you have a family member, a loved one or friend, or if its yourself and you’re struggling with mental illness, or know somebody, encourage them to get help. And you’ll find that it will make a huge difference in your life.”
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