Published to Newsletter on Mar 01, 2023
Our mental health is as important as our physical health. According to the Anxiety and Depression Association of America (ADAA), two thirds of nearly 450 million people worldwide who are currently living with a mental illness do not seek treatment.
To increase your awareness, you can educate yourself and the people around you to counteract the stigma. You can make a difference in acknowledging that mental illness is not anyone’s fault and it does not define the person. By realizing that the power to change individual perceptions is through education and awareness about mental illness, you become a part of the positive shift in how mental health is acknowledged and addressed.
Some mental health conditions, such as depression and anxiety, can increase vulnerability to chronic health conditions like hypertension and respiratory illnesses. Lack of resources or not knowing where to find assistance could be a reason for not obtaining treatment. The University of New Mexico has several resources for staff, faculty, students, and community members to utilize that are located both on and off campus.
For centralized resources, visit the Mental Health Resources page to easily find the professional service that is best for you. To highlight a few of the services available to you as a benefit eligible employee, UNM Student Health and Counseling offers TAO to the entire UNM population. It is a self-paced Therapy Assistance Online that you can interact with to learn skills and gain feedback. Our Employee Assistance Program is Counseling Assistance & Referral Services (CARS). CARS assists UNM faculty and staff members with professional and personal concerns, relationship difficulties, anxiety, stress and job burnout, depression, eldercare, coworker conflicts, alcohol or other drug misuse, change management, grief and loss issues and preparing for retirement.
To further help support our community, UNM Benefits & Employee Wellness offers monthly QPR Gatekeeper training. QPR (Question, Persuade, Refer) is education centered on teaching how to question someone you feel may be suicidal, persuading them to seek help and referring to resources to access that help. These are three simple, but powerful steps. Learn how to use them properly and you can save a life from suicide. QPR will be offered the first Friday of each month.
