When is the last time you got the check-up from the neck up? The annual mental health check-up is perhaps the easiest tool to begin the process of understanding not only your own mental health, but also how you can offer your own experience in advocating for the mental health of others in your life.
Many of us make a point of getting an annual physical. Choose a date. Your birthday, an anniversary, the same day that you change your furnace filters or check the batteries in your smoke detector. Whatever date you choose, simply take an hour out of your year to speak with a therapist about what’s going on in your life. They may ask about your work or your schooling, families and relationships, how you’re coping with a recent move or job change, or anything else that may be going on in your world. It may feel like little more than a conversation to you, but by being honest and transparent with them, they will be able to glean important information about what is affecting you on a daily basis and how you’re handling it. And in so doing, they will likely see that you’re doing ok and send you home suggesting simply that you call them if anything changes. They may also hear something that suggests a hurdle in allowing you to move forward in the most healthy fashion in your day to day life. And if that’s the case, then you know. And you’ve caught it early. Common mental health concerns like anxiety and depression are often very treatable but catching them early is the key.
There are few aspects of life in which you can invest only an hour and get an entire year of reassurance. And certainly, your mental health is worth the investment. Call your local mental healthcare provider today to schedule your own check-up from the neck-up.
