Hope…Walks Here.
It’s Springtime again. The snow is (or has) melting indicating it’s time to get out and pick up any trash, sticks, or other debris from lawns and sidewalks that have accumulated throughout the winter months. The days are staying lighter for longer and the air is warming up. In Geneseo, we are expected to reach 80 degrees later this week! While for many, things are beginning to look up, this is also the time of high stress for many. Students are nearing the end of the semester, which is always a stressful time, many of us are nearing tax time and anxiously awaiting refunds or dreading making that tax payment. That said, spring is’t all warmer weather, sun and rainbows. It’s also filled with rain, mud, muck, and lots and lots of dog poop.
Spring is also a time of hope! Hope for better days, hope for warmer weather, hope for new growth both outside and within. It’s also a great time to acknowledge mental health is just as important as physical health. Together, let’s talk about mental health, let’s talk about how to find hope and help, about our struggles and our victories. Doing this, can help break the stigma of mental health, and can start a conversation about ways to improve access to care. There are many issues with our current system from limited access to community clinics, poor or no health insurance coverage, low health insurance reimbursement rates, and too few licensed professionals. While, we cannot change these barriers overnight, talking more openly about mental health needs can help drastically. This is partly why I walk each spring for the SUNY Geneseo Out of the Darkness Walk supporting the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP). Please consider walking to support mental health and suicide prevention, donating, or just checking in on friends and family to see how they are doing. Together, let’s normalize talking about mental health.
As always: If you or anyone you know is struggling with thoughts of suicide, please call 988. If you are injured, or in need of medical attention please dial 911.