Mental Health Important To Overall Health

Mental health includes our social, emotional, and psychological well-being. It impacts how we think, feel, and act. It also sets the stage for how we handle stress, relate to others and make choices. Mental health is important at every stage of life, from birth through adulthood.

Over one’s lifetime, a person may experience mental health problems and therefore one’s thinking, mood and behavior could be affected. A combination of genetic, biological, psychological and environmental factors (note: not a personal weakness or a character defect) contribute to mental health disorders. Mental illnesses are health conditions that contribute to a host of problems that may include disability, pain or death.

That said, the good news is recovery is possible when we seek out treatment.

We know that mental health is important to our overall health. Research tells us that roughly one in four individuals will be affected by a mental disorder each year and yet only one in three folks will seek treatment. We also know that it typically takes 10 years from the first time someone has mental health concerns until they get a correct diagnosis and proper treatment. Don’t wait for that! Address early signs of mental health concerns, now.

Please join us anytime between 4-8 p.m. on Thursday, April 30, for the first ever Mental Health and AODA Resource Fair in Sheboygan County, located at RCS Empowers, 1607 Geele Ave., Sheboygan.

The purpose of the health fair is to provide families, individuals and professionals in Sheboygan County with education and awareness of resources that promote good mental health and/or address mental illness and alcohol and other drug abuse issues.

We want families and individuals who come seeking answers to leave with the help they deserve. We want professionals to be the best they can be in their jobs, when they aware of all the resources available in the community. At 6 p.m. there will be an open question-and-answer session with a panel of professionals.

Why come?

  • Get answers to help yourself or a loved one.
  • ­ Chance to win an iPad and other
    prizes.
  • ­ Kids Corner to keep the kiddos busy while parents find resources they need.
  • ­ Food and refreshments.
  • ­ More than 40 vendors will be present to share resources.
  • ­ The event is free.

 Even if you have no mental health issues or current concerns, mental disorders will affect one in four Americans each year and we know early intervention is key. We should all strive to stay mentally healthy.

Healthy Sheboygan County 2020 Mental Health Committee is leading the way in organizing the event and couldn’t have done it without the other mental health champions in our community, event sponsors: Aurora Health Care, Homes for Independent Living, St. Nicholas Hospital/ Prevea, Mental Health America in Sheboygan County, RCS Empowers, Sheboygan County Service Providers, United Community for Youth and United Way of Sheboygan County.

To learn more call 920-458-3951 or email kate@mhasheboygan.org.


Kate Baer is the co-chair of the Healthy Sheboygan County 2020 Mental Health Committee and the executive director of Sheboygan County’s Mental Health America organization.