Magellan Ascend Mind Your Mental Health

Mind Your Mental Health - National Friendship Day

Mind Your Mental Health - National Friendship Day

The first Sunday in August (8/1 this year) is International Friendship Day—a day to celebrate both the old and the new friends in our lives. You might:

Take some time to consider and appreciate those people who have stood by you during tough times.
Accept an invitation to meet new people. You could make lifelong friendships that you didn’t foresee.
Reach out to your friends with a simple gesture of kindness such as a friendly text, email, phone call, flowers or a card.
When communicating with old friends, share a memory of a past mutual experience that might spark a lively conversation and some welcome laughs today.
It’s easy to get so busy in life that we neglect our friendships. Remember to periodically express your admiration of and support for your valued companions—whether they’re near or far.

August is normally the back-to-school month for most students. This year might be a little different, so we are taking the opportunity to discuss student mental health throughout the month. we will be highlighting the importance of speaking openly about student mental health, as mental illness is very common among students today. With your help, we can bring awareness to the prevalence of mental illness on campuses.

It’s our job to help end the stigma surrounding mental health by sharing resources and starting conversations. Throughout the month of August, we encourage family, friends, and loved ones to learn more about student mental health and what resources are available on and off campus to help these students.

Here are some important facts you should know:

56% of students are significantly concerned with their ability to care for their mental health.
In a survey, sixty-three percent of students say that their emotional health is worse than before the COVID-19 pandemic.
50% of all lifetime cases of mental illness begin by age 14 and 75% by age 24.

Remember, mental illness does not discriminate. Join us to help bring attention to the importance of sharing mental health stories and help improve the lives of millions of Americans living with a mental illness.

Help is available! Visit https://www.magellanhealthcare.com/about/bh-resources/mymh/ or contact your program to learn more about how to help yourself or someone you care about.