Mental Health Tools

Suicide is the second leading cause of death for teenagers in the United States. This unfortunate fact is caused by a number of reasons, but the leading agent is mental health and a failure to address its effects. The conversation concerning mental disorders traditionally has been sparse and condescending towards affected people.

However, as time progresses, the dialogue has opened up and become more inclusive in recent years. Many organizations have opened up opportunities for teens and adults to better grapple with mental health issues, some of which I would like to give a platform in this article.

For those beginning their mental health journey,  Moodpath is a useful tool in monitoring one’s symptoms and learning tips to managing triggers and everyday stress. The user logs their mood three times a day and gets weekly indicators regarding the status of their mental being.

The app also has convenient features to help the user lead a more productive life such as articles that relate to feelings the user expresses in their daily logs, and printable worksheets that can help one better relate their emotions to their surrounding family and friends. It also has print-outs for any mental health professionals the user may be seeing.

When starting to address one’s mental health issues, it can be difficult to interpret all the different internal signs one feels and the increasing amounts of information being publicized by varying sources. Resources like Moodpath can be a great starting point to clearly decipher one’s well being and start on the road towards a happier lifestyle.

The Blurt organization is a great place to delve deeper into understanding mental health and provides numerous venues to connect to support in a multitude of ways. This organization is especially helpful for people who are trying to support their loved ones who are grappling with mental issues.

They host Everybody Blurts; a podcast which discusses practical advice concerning mental health issues with mental health professionals. For people desiring support, this podcast is a great way to get informed advice without having to make a first-hand contact which can be stressful for many facing mental issues. They also have a blog which regularly posts about how to live with depression and exploring the nature of this once-taboo illness.

They also supply a subscription box called the BuddyBox which helps to alleviate the emotional stress caused by mental illness, especially depression. Each box has different items every month to keep the surprise alive for those receiving the gifts. These boxes can be ordered and sent to the buyer or to any recipient the buyer addresses the package to. It’s an interesting take on the subscription box trend to help people suffering from mental issues.

For a more clear cut approach to mental health, explore mentalhealth.gov to see straightforward definitions of mental health conditions and direct lines to get help. the user interface is not as interactive as the other tools I explained, but the basic design makes the website the easiest tool to use for older people who may hope to address their own problems or help their younger loved ones.

Mental health can feel very isolating for those suffering, and it can be difficult for one’s loved ones to know how to be a good support system. These resources are just a microcosm of the many ways to help those suffering, and the ways to help are only increasing as time goes on.