May is Mental Health Awareness Month. Leigh Richardson, founder of The Brain Performance Center, joins Cheddar News to talk about how people can prioritize their wellbeing. 

Between Bells

May Marks Mental Health Awareness Month 

And everyone in between Bells and Baker Machado in New York today marks the start of mental health awareness month. Since 1949 the US has observed this month as a way to spread awareness. And also pushed the message that mental health is something that everybody should care about no matter who you are or what you're going through. And also it's important to remember it's okay to not be okay. So joining us now to discuss is lee Richardson, founder and clinical director of the Brain Performance Center. Such a pleasure to have you here. Thanks so much for joining us. I mean obviously this past year was difficult one for so many people from dealing with the pandemic. Too many communities fighting against racism and injustice. So what would you say are some of the biggest mental health themes to really watch out for this month. You know this is a great we've set a platform, it's mental health awareness month and so pay attention to what's going on in your family. Pay attention to what's going on with your friends because we just lost the national uh country star from mental health and that to me sends a message. Mental health can happen to anybody any time. It doesn't matter how much money you have, doesn't matter how rich or famous you are. Mental health is just as important as your physical health, treat your brain just like you might treat your heart, they both our organs in your body. Absolutely. And in this week in particular, this first week of May is Children's mental health week. What sort of things are important to keep in mind for Children when it comes to evaluating and watching out for their mental health? Well, Children, adolescents really is when early adolescence is when depression can kind of start to set in and that might be a lot younger than we think, but Children, they absorb everything that's going on in their atmosphere. So the last year, the pandemic and families have been, they're lost their jobs, if their industries have been shut down, if they haven't been able to be close to their grandparents, their lives have changed and there, they have absorbed everything that's going on in the parents lives. So if there's been a lot of change and there's been things that you, you know, they really don't understand, make some time to talk with them about those things and not that you need to give a full explanation, but just to let them know that they don't, you appreciate that they don't understand what's going on and that if they have questions that they're always free to reach out to you, that's a great place to start? Absolutely. You mentioned quite a bit of things right there. But are there any sort of signs maybe parents should be aware of when it comes to maybe evaluating and monitoring their Children's mental health to know that everything is okay here. Absolutely. If you see signs, if you see changes in your child's sleeping patterns, if they can't sleep at all, or they're just sleeping as a way to cope. That's that's a red flag, if you see a big change in their diet and their nutrition, if they've just gotten to where all they want is sugar, that's a big change. If they're not doing the things that they've always enjoyed doing, they used to love to walk the dog and now they don't that's a huge red flag. Use the power of observation, see, you know, what's going on with them, where they different? Are they more moody? No great points right there. The other thing is going out and seeking out mental health and and and in terms of help when it comes to all of this. And I feel like over the pandemic, we've done a better job. I think of normalizing, reaching out for help and discussing stuff with a therapist with anybody out there. But lee at the end of the day, what do you think stops people from going out and seeking help? Is there something out there that basically deters them from going out and seeking that that help. Absolutement, of the people that need mental health treatment don't get it. And it's because of the stigma that's around getting mental help. I love your line when you started it is okay to not be okay. That's the tagline from my book turn your brain on to get your game on. But people we all have this, this stigma that we, you know, I don't want anybody to know that about me, They're gonna think I'm crazy. And then there's the stigma that comes from society. And then there's the stigma that comes from on a higher level organizations or academic institutions and that's what holds people back. So the best thing to do when you need help is reach out, whether it's a counselor at school or it's a teacher at school or it's someone in your church or it's someone in your family, just let them know that you think that you might need a little help open that door. Absolutely. On top of all that, the great resignation lee is now entering its second year. And in many ways the great resignation for many people was probably a good thing because it allowed them to sort of re evaluate what their priorities were, if their job was making them unhappy to go and do something that was making that would be more fulfilling for them. So why was this time so crucial for people to sort of realize what their self worth was at the end of the day? Well, you know, honestly, I think that we were all in a spot before the pandemic occurred. One out of four Americans over the age of 12 before the pandemic was suffering from a mental health illness or a substance use problem. So I think the pandemic just really put the brakes on and we all stopped and thought about what are we doing? How are we living our lives such a good point. At least such a pleasure to talk to you as well. Lee Richardson is the founder and clinical director of the Brain Performance Center, joining us here.