Mental Health Awareness Month: Taking Care of Yourself Matters

The month of May is Mental Health Awareness Month. It’s a reminder that our mental health deserves just as much care and attention as our physical health.

I started to realize the importance of mental health in college when I began struggling with my own. I started seeing a therapist my freshman year to help process some things that happened in high school and to learn how to handle the workload of being a student-athlete. For a while, things seemed okay, but during my senior year, I started dealing with panic attacks, anxiety, and depression.

It was one of the most frustrating seasons of my life because I didn’t understand what was happening or why I felt the way I did.

At the time, I was also working, and my finance manager and I had a conversation about how I had been feeling. She suggested I see a psychiatrist. Long story short, I was prescribed Lexapro and encouraged to continue therapy.

Years have gone by, and overall, my medication has helped tremendously. Every now and then, we make adjustments, and after years of trying to find the right therapist, I’ve finally found one that feels like a great fit. We’ve only had a few sessions so far, but it has already been incredibly helpful.

As moms, women, caregivers, and busy people constantly pouring into others, it can feel impossible to slow down long enough to check in with ourselves. We keep the schedules running, the laundry moving, the meals cooked, the kids cared for, and somehow try to hold everything together in between. But behind the smiles and productivity, many people are quietly carrying stress, anxiety, burnout, overwhelm, or loneliness.

And the truth is: taking care of your mental health is not selfish. It’s necessary.

You Don’t Have to “Earn” Rest

Somewhere along the way, many of us started believing we had to completely exhaust ourselves before we deserved a break. We feel guilty sitting down. Guilty saying no. Guilty asking for help.

But rest is not laziness. Taking a moment for yourself does not make you less productive, less strong, or less capable.

Sometimes caring for your mental health looks like:

• Going for a walk outside

• Sitting in silence with your coffee

• Calling a friend

• Taking a social media break

• Getting sunlight and fresh air

• Asking for support

• Spending time with family

• Letting the laundry wait another day

Social Media and Mental Health

Social media can be inspiring and encouraging, but it can also make us feel like we are constantly falling behind. Perfect homes. Perfect routines. Perfect bodies. But real life is not filtered.

Everyone has hard days, messy moments, and struggles they don’t post online. Comparison steals joy quickly, especially when we forget that social media is usually someone’s highlight reel.

If being online starts making you feel anxious, discouraged, or overwhelmed, it’s okay to take a step back. Protecting your peace is important.

Check In With Your People

Mental health conversations matter because you never truly know what someone else may be carrying.

A simple text. A coffee date. A “How are you really doing?” A reminder that someone is loved and seen. Those things can mean more than we realize.

And if you are struggling, please know there is strength in reaching out too. You are not meant to carry everything alone.

This Month, Be Gentle With Yourself

You do not need to have everything figured out. You do not need to do everything perfectly. You do not need to constantly prove your worth through productivity. Give yourself grace this month.

Slow down when you need to. Take care of your mind. Protect your peace. And remember that your well-being matters too. Because a healthy mind matters just as much as a healthy body.

If you are struggling to give yourself breaks or prioritize your mental health, please talk to someone. Whether it’s a therapist, psychiatrist, friend, or loved one, reaching out for support is important. Mental health matters, and you do not have to go through it alone.