FEELING STRESSED OR SAD ABOUT THE HOLIDAYS? YOU’RE NOT ALONE. A 2021 survey (1) found that 60% of Americans feel the holidays have a negative impact on their mental health, including higher levels of stress, depression and anxiety, as well as increased substance abuse. For people affected by mental illness, the holiday season can be especially challenging. One study (2) by National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) found that 64% of people with mental illness said the holidays make their conditions worse.

To help raise awareness about mental health, the nonprofit organization Fluvanna County Arts Council presented “Always. Already. Enough: Flipping the Switch on Mental Illness” on May 6, 2023, at the Carysbrook Performing Arts Center in the small rural community of Fork Union, Virginia. This storytelling event harnessed the power in sharing stories of lived experience with mental illness, as well as provided compelling testimony to the recovery process. During the program, six storytellers shared their mental health and wellness journeys through monologues, music, poetry and visual art.

Mental health is an important, but sometimes overlooked, component of overall health and well-being. What better time than the start of a new year to find ways to promote your mind-body wellness? Practicing mindfulness and having a good work-life balance, as well as incorporating a healthy diet, exercise and good sleep habits, can lead to better mental and physical health.