Did you know that May is Mental Health Awareness Month?
It’s a time we can all pause and reflect on how we or others around us are dealing with our emotions.
As they say, a picture is worth a thousand words, so Dr. Nazlim Hagmann with CCA Health Michigan appeared on “Live In The D” to talk about visualizing mental health. We use emojis every day to help show our emotions, so Dr. Hagmann used them as an approach to talk about deeper emotions that people may be feeling.
The first emoji the doctor talked about was a depressed face. She explained how people can be impacted by this emotion. Dr. Hagmann said that depression is like the lights are dimmed in your life. You can lose interest in the things you enjoyed before, feel sad, hopeless, irritable or angry, she said.
The doctor also mentioned that people with depression might sleep too much or too little or eat too much or too little. She said it might feel as if you’re carrying a heavy burden with you all the time. Dr. Hagmann also discussed anxiety where people may feel “wired,” feel nauseous, have indigestion, or difficulty focusing.
Next, Dr. Hagmann talked about a group of emojis. They were the talking face, a keyboard, a “no” sign, and a magic wand. The theme of the emojis had to do with getting help. She suggested first talking to someone like friends or family. The doctor stressed the need to search for resources to get the help you need.
The next emojis Dr. Hagmann highlighted were a shoe taking a step and a happy, relaxed face. “Making some baby steps toward changing your lifestyle is important,” she said. The doctor suggests investing in healthy eating and exercise. She said don’t wait to look for help.
The final emoji revealed was two hands shaking, which represents a helping hand being available. Watch the video above to hear how CCA Health Michigan can help.