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Wear green for Mental Health Awareness

To the editor:

One in five Americans live with a mental health condition at some point throughout their life. Most people live with the symptoms of a mental illness for ten years before seeking treatment, largely due to the stigma. The sooner people get treatment, the greater their chances of recovery. May is Mental Health Awareness Month, which makes it the perfect time to spread the word that mental health is as important as our physical health.

The Heart of New Ulm Project’s (HONU) Brown County Mental Health and Wellness action team are part of a local effort to stop the silence around mental health and reduce the stigma.

Many of us don’t know how to respond to people when they bring up their mental illness. But the answer is that it can be very similar to what you would say to those who have cancer or heart disease. For example:

“What can I do to help?”

“I’m here if you need me.”

• “Can I drive you to an appointment?

Together, we can all work to reduce the stigma of mental health. By wearing green on Wednesday we can show our friends and others in the community that we are here to support them if they are struggling with a mental health condition. Share a picture of yourself, a group of your colleagues, or your family wearing green to social media with the hashtag #browncountywearsgreen.

To learn more about the Mental Health and Wellness Action Team visit https://heartofnewulm.com/mental-health/

Brown County Mental Health and Wellness Action Team members

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