May brings the warmth of the sun and National Mental Health Awareness Month. This year’s campaign and focus, first suggested by Mental Health America, is "Look Around, Look Within":  the campaign prompts you to consider your surroundings and how they may affect you. Surroundings can refer to safe and stable housing, healthier home environments, our towns and neighborhoods. Surroundings also have to do with appreciating the impact nature can have on your mental health.

When you think about your home spaces and your workspaces and your experiences in them, which areas at work and home do you feel most comfortable in? What do you think is contributing to your feelings of comfort or discomfort? Ideally, most of us want to have our spaces give us feelings of comfort, support, and calm. How to Optimize Your Space For Your Mental Health (verywellmind.com) provides suggestions on helping you make your space healthier for you.

Finding ways to connect with nature can have a helpful impact on your mental health, including natural light, taking a walk in the park, gardening (including inside container gardening) and even just having your feet in the grass. The connection to the earth and nature can improve your mood and cognitive functioning. Check out Nurtured by nature (apa.org) for more information.  

The Ohio State University and OSU Wexner Medical Center offer robust mental and behavioral health wellness services. The OSU Employee Assistance Program provides five complimentary counseling sessions; to initiate the process call 800-678-6265 or submit an online request here. Any questions, email us at eap@osumc.edu.

“Take some time to look around and make note of your surroundings and look within to see how they might be affecting you.”  (MHA)

Image credit: istockphoto.com