September is Suicide Prevention Month, so I want to encourage our readers to stop and take stock of their mental health. 

Mental health is just as important, if not more so, as physical health. Every day, you can make choices about your physical health. You can pick up an apple instead of grabbing the potato chips. You can walk to the grocery store instead of driving your car. 

Whether or not we always make the physically healthy choice, it’s usually easy to at least know what the right choice is. Is it the right choice to sit and watch TV all evening instead of going for a jog? No, of course not. 

But it’s harder, sometimes, to know what the right mental health choice is, especially since everyone’s mental health needs are different. The stay at home parent’s healthy choice might be to have a night out with friends. The breadwinner might need a long weekend hanging out with their kids. The single person might need time to love and appreciate number one! And the old married  couple might need time working on their own hobbies, separately. 

It doesn’t matter if you’re a man or woman, old or young, mental health is important. There is no such thing as being too tough to take a self care day. Seriously. It doesn’t matter who you are, it is ok, nay, necessary, for you to take care of your own mind. And if you think I’m not talking about you specifically, reader, I am.

I hope you take time this month to slow down and take care of your mental health. If that means taking a day off work, do it. If you can’t take off work, then put your chores at home on hold for an evening and go outside to enjoy the weather while it’s not freezing cold yet! And please, stop scrolling Facebook and Instagram for one night. 

If you are having suicidal thoughts, or if you’re simply stressed and exhausted, please ask for help. Asking for help is the hardest thing to do except for one thing: living with the pain. It’s not ever easy, but, my dear reader, you are important, and you have a role to play here on Earth. We’re better off when you are here. 

If you need immediate help, the suicide hotline number is 988. Please ask for help if you need it.