By: Ashmar Mandou

May is Mental Health Awareness Month and according to the National Institute of Mental Health, mental illness affects tens of millions of adults in the country, and only half of those people receive treatment. It is estimated that 1 out of every 5 adults in the U.S. lives with a mental illness, which is nearly 60 million people. The severity ranges from mild to severe, with some of the more common issues being depression and anxiety. There are numerous things that people can do to focus on improving mental health, including:

Staying Positive
It is important to try to have a positive outlook. Finding balance between positive and negative emotions. Staying positive doesn’t mean that you never feel negative emotions, such as sadness or anger. You need to feel them so that you can move through difficult situations. They can help you to respond to a problem. But you don’t want those emotions to take over.

Practicing Gratitude
It’s helpful to do this every day, either by thinking about what you are grateful for or writing it down in a journal. These can be big things, such as the support you have from loved ones, or little things, such as enjoying a nice meal. It’s important to allow yourself a moment to enjoy that you had the positive experience. Practicing gratitude can help you to see your life differently.

Connecting With Others
Humans are social creatures, and it’s important to have strong, healthy relationships with others. Having good social support may help protect you against the harms of stress. It is also good to have different types of connections. Besides connecting with family and friends, you could find ways to get involved with your community or neighborhood.

Taking Care of Your Physical Health
Since your physical and mental health are connected. Some ways to take care of your physical health include:

• Being physically active. Exercise can reduce feelings of stress and depression and improve your mood.

• Getting enough sleep. Sleep affects your mood. If you don’t get a good sleep, you may become more easily annoyed and angry. Over the long term, a lack of quality sleep can make you more likely to become depressed. So it’s important to make sure that you have a regular sleep schedule and get enough quality sleep every night.