May 18, 2021
May is Mental Health Awareness Month. Every moment of our lives, we should be concerned about our mental health and the mental health of those around us. I spoke with Drew Martel, Director of Crisis Services for Foundation 2 in Cedar Rapids. Help is always available if you need it at 855-581-8111 or at YourlifeIowa.org
Drew spoke about how much further we have to go with mental health awareness (erase the stigma), the symptoms of anxiety, how to help a friend in need, he explains what therapy is like and how we can all better manage our anxiety. Finally, Drew talks about what we still need to do to decrease the suicide rate.
CEDAR RAPIDS The pandemic has taken a toll on people’s mental health and in some cases even created new barriers for people already dealing with mental health issues.
According to a Kaiser Family Foundation tracking poll conducted in mid-July, 53 percent of adults in the United States reported their mental health has been negatively impacted due to worry and stress over the coronavirus. This is significantly higher than the 32 percent reported in March, the first time this question was included in the polling.
“I think it’s safe to say that this has been a pretty tough year for everyone in one way or another,” said Drew Martel, crisis service director with Foundation 2, a local nonprofit that offers crisis prevention and intervention programs to people of all ages.