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j u l y 2 0 2 3
July is supposed to be a fun time of year but, for some of you, it
might be miserable. According to the Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention, more than one in five adults in the United States lives
with a mental illness, and one in five youth currently or at some point
in their life have had a seriously debilitating mental illness*. CTNL
always brings you articles on physical and mental well-being and, in
this issue, I've made sure to include several articles that recognize the
struggles many of you and/or your loved ones are currently facing.
According to the CDC, mental health "includes our emotional,
psychological, and social well-being. It affects how we think, feel, and
act. It also helps determine how we handle stress, relate to others, and
make healthy choices. Mental health is important at every stage of life,
from childhood and adolescence through adulthood."
I was raised by a father who was an MD (a gastroenterologist) and a
mother who was a therapist/counselor, who specialized in drug and
alcohol addiction, with a focus on the mentally ill. In short, paramount
in our house were the issues of physical illness and mental illness.
The question, "How are you feeling?" had meaning on several levels.
When my children were school-age, I gave them all the option of
taking a "mental health day" as well as sick days. A mental health
day, I explained to them, was when you weren't feeling physically
sick, but just needed a break. I made it clear, however, that it wasn't
an automatic opt-out from math tests and the like. As a freelance
art director, I had the option of taking (unpaid) days off from work
without being reprimanded, and that flexibility was paramount for
my own mental health when torn between our family's needs and the
demands of my career. I made sure to really focus on my child on
their mental health days, trying to give them a pleasant excursion
with mom while subtlely inquiring about what was going on in their
lives at the time.
I also found that when one of my children seemed distressed by
a situation in their classroom that they weren't able to verbalize,
by volunteering in the classroom, I could get a much better idea of
the situation. For example, when my daughter came home and said
"Joey's punching me in the arm," (I've changed the name) I asked,
horrified, "Why is he punching you?!" "I don't know, but he's nice,
though." Once in the classroom, it was easy to see that sweet Joey
had autism and didn't realize what he was doing, and I was able to
convey to the teacher to please gently ask him to stop.
I hope that this month you'll have some fun
in the sun while staying healthy... in all ways!
* www.cdc.gov/mentalhealth/learn/index.htm
Julie Flynn
DAYS TO KEEP IN MIND
July 1 - July 3, 1863: The Battle of Gettysburg, seen by many as
the most important fight during the Civil War
Sunday July 2 World UFO Day
Sunday July 2 National Wildland Firefighter Day
July 2, 1964: Civil Rights Act passed by President Lyndon
Johnson, banned employers from discriminating against anyone
based on race, religion, color, national origin, or sex, and
outlawed segregation in public places and schools.
Tuesday July 4 Independence Day
Wednesday July 5 National Workaholics Day
Friday July 7 World Chocolate Day
Wednesday July 12 Malala Day
Saturday July 15 National Give Something Away Day
Tuesday July 18 World Listening Day
July 19th to July 20th, 1848: Seneca Falls Convention (aka the
Woman's Rights Convention) held in New York, fought for equal
religious, social, and civil rights of women.
Thursday July 20 International Chess Day
Sunday July 30 International Friendship Day
Carol
Beder's
