Memorial Hospital’s Evergreen Center, Behavioral Health team celebrating Mental Health Awareness Month

CARTHAGE, Ill. — Memorial Hospital’s Evergreen Center and Behavioral Health team is celebrating Mental Health Awareness Month in May.

People are invited to “Look Around and Look Within” to learn about how one’s surroundings can impact mental health. Where a person is born, lives, learns, works, plays and gathers, as well as their economic stability and social connections, are part of what is called social determinants of health. The more these factors work in your favor means you are more likely to have better mental well-being. When it seems like the world is working against you, your mental health can suffer.

In a press release, Valerie Brown, program director of Memorial Hospital’s Evergreen Center, said, “Despite the fact that many aspects of your environment are beyond your control, there are steps you can take to improve your environment and protect your well-being,”

Mental Health America suggests:

• Work toward securing safe and stable housing. This can be challenging due to finances, age and other reasons, but there are a few things you can try, such as reaching out to state/local agencies to secure housing, removing safety hazards in the home, or finding another space (such as a community center or friend’s home) where you can get the comfort you are missing at home.
• Focus on your home. Consider keeping your space tidy, sleep-friendly and well-ventilated. Surround yourself with items that keep you calm and positive.
• Create bonds with your neighborhood and community. Get to know the people living around you, join or start neighbors-helping-neighbors groups and support local businesses to challenge gentrification.
• Connect with nature. Hike in a forest, sit in a city park, bring a plant inside or keep the shades open to absorb natural light.

Mental Health America’s Mental Health Month toolkit provides free, practical resources, such as how an individual’s environment impacts their mental health, suggestions for making changes to improve and maintain mental well-being and how to seek help for mental health challenges. Go to mhanational.org/may to learn more.

Memorial Hospital’s Evergreen Center is designed to meet the needs of individuals 65 and older experiencing depression and/or anxiety related-to-life changes often associated with aging.

Memorial Hospital also has a behavioral health team that provides care to children ages 4- 17 and adults 18 and older, including medication management, counseling, addiction services and more. For more information, call 217-357-6888.

Both the Evergreen Center and Behavioral Health team are in the Memorial Medical building, 1450 N. County Road 2050, on the hospital campus.