NewsLocal News

Actions

Utah nonprofit to launch 21-day mental health challenge

Posted at 7:00 AM, Apr 27, 2021
and last updated 2021-04-27 17:20:18-04

PARK CITY, Utah — May is Mental Health Awareness Month and a Summit County nonprofit is launching a challenge to destigmatize mental health issues.

Connect Summit County's 21-day mental health awareness challenge aims to help normalize talking about mental health.

There are different ways to normalize mental health. It can be done by educating yourself by either listening to a podcast or reading a book, attending an event or even talking about your own mental health struggles.

RELATED: Utah mental health services to get boost under new law

"If you’re not feeling yourself, if you’re not feeling OK, it’s absolutely OK not to be OK and now more than ever, and so I think it’s really important that people really share their stories and they reach out for help,” said Deanna Rhodes, executive director of Connect Summit County.

According to the National Association for Mental Illness, one in five Utahns will experience mental illness in their lifetime and that was based on research before the pandemic.

"We all have mental health, it’s whether or not we have good mental health and so we all are striving for great mental health. And so, being able to talk about that and normalize it and reach out for help is really important. And I think we’re headed that direction but we just need everyone’s support,” said Rhodes.

RELATED: Breaking the stigma on mental health

Connect Summit County says now more than ever it’s important to talk about mental health.

The 21-day mental health challenge starts on May 1 but registration is open now. Once a person signs up, they can check off boxes as they complete each challenge.

"It’s really about building that awareness, it’s about normalizing the conversation, about just speaking out and sharing your experiences,” said Rhodes.

Throughout the month, Connect Summit County will be giving away seven prizes to people participating.

If you’d like to sign up, visit connectsummitcounty.org/may

RELATED: States consider laws that would accept mental health as valid excuse for school absence