May is Melanoma awareness AND Mental Health Awareness month.

I was working today when I saw a headline that mentioned how May is mental health awareness month, and it got me to thinking. Mental health awareness is something that I also carry a degree of passion for. It is something that I have personally struggled with in the past, and something that I have lost very dear friends to, but it is also a condition that like melanoma can have a lot of tell tale, early detection signs. 

Just like melanoma where if you see something you should say something, if you notice the signs of mental health issues in a loved one or a friend, IT IS OK to say something. Mental health issues can feel very isolating to the person experiencing them, and sometimes the outside voice of someone else saying that the see you and want to help you is 100% what is needed, but, it is rarely something that is asked for. 

Mental health issues still carry a lot of stigma, though that has been improving over the past several years, but there is still work to be done. Mental Health issues can be especially difficult for those in professional positions to admit to having and asking for help. It can be even worse if that person is someone that others look up to, as often, it can feel that they are not able to ask for help due to the belief that they will be letting so many others down. The real message is that no should have to suffer throught mental health issues alone. It is important that we remember that there is no weakness in asking for help.

So, this May, think of ways that you can help break the stigma, and help break the silence. Melanoma and mental health need to be talked about, that is the only way that we can work to eliminate deaths on both fronts.