Today, we celebrate Earth Day! This annual event, observed on April 22, is a global initiative dedicated to appreciating the beauty of nature and advocating for the health of our planet. Interestingly, caring for the environment is not just about the earth; it’s also about caring for our mental health. The connection between our environment and our mental well-being is profound.
October can mean many things: football, Halloween, fall weather, or a time change. For those of us in the mental health field, we know things get tough when seasons change. Although fall may be my favorite time of year, I know that daylight hours are getting shorter, and others may start to feel a little darker, too. You may not know this, but 1 in 5 U.S. adults and 1 in 6 U.S. youths experience mental illness each year (NAMI). According to SAMHSA, only 47.2% of U.S. adults with mental illness received treatment in 2021.