Mental Health Resources

You don't have to go it alone. Credit: RhemzART/Pixabay

What if you're a prepper who doesn't have a full bunker during a pandemic to feed your family? Do you feel like a failure? Or what if you're simply one of the many who suffer some form of mental illness in your life regardless of whose fault you're being told it is? 

I admit to being both. I also know what it's like to watch a loved one suffer serious mental illness and not feel equipped to help. The organization Mental Health First Aid has a long list of resources on their website including national hotlines for depression and suicide as well as for specific disorders such as anxiety, psychosis, and substance abuse. 

The group's motto is, "Let's make mental health first aid as common as CPR." I regret not being able to better help my relative. MHFA will be offering a virtual version of their mental health first aid training soon due to the COVID pandemic. I plan on signing up when it's available. Another resource for family members of mentally ill loved ones is the National Alliance on Mental Illness. They offer local groups for families to meet and learn from each other along with the NAMI National Resource Directory.  

Please remember that prepping isn't about perfection. Sometimes, pulling yourself up by your bootstraps means asking for help when you need it.

RELATED HOTLINE NUMBERS TO GET HELP:

• National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: (800) 273-8255
• National Domestic Violence Hotline: (800) 799-7233
• RAINN (Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network): (800) 656-4673
• SAMHSA's (Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration) National Helpline:  1-800-662-HELP (4357) 

© P.J. Deneen