Millions of Americans experience feelings of anxiety, stress, sadness, or emotional overwhelm each year—reminding us that mental health is part of everyday life, and we are not alone in our experiences. Mental Health Awareness Month can be a great time to talk about mental health for ourselves and others.
Connecting through Conversation
Start a conversation with friends, family, and peers that creates space for open dialogue around mental health. Sharing your experiences and feelings openly is a signal to others that it’s okay to talk about whatever we’re going through. Even though it may seem like we’re alone in our experiences with mental and emotional health, through conversation we find community.
Simple shares and questions can make difficult conversations a little easier:
Shares
- Today was tough. I felt sad.
- Things feel really stressful.
- I’m lonely.
Questions
- How are you?
- What’s on your mind today?
- I’m thinking about you. Can we talk or text?
Connecting in Quiet
We connect through many forms of communication—spoken words, signed language, gestures, writing, and quiet presence. We don’t always have to explain to feel validated or understood. Sitting together in silence builds meaningful connection and gives us time to find emotional clarity. It says, “I’m here. I’m present. I’m with you.”
Connecting with Help
Connection doesn’t just happen with the people closest to us—many times it comes from the care and compassion of the staff and volunteers at 988, 211, Recovery Help Line, Teen Link, and Warm Line. Sometimes we don’t feel like we can talk to people close to us. That’s okay. It can be a comfort to know someone is there, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, for everything from everyday worries to coping with life-altering change.
“The Warm Line is that one place for me where I’m not judged, just supported by someone who knows the struggle.”
– Help seeker who connects with Warm Line for regular support
More than 729,000 people reached out to Crisis Connections last year in search of support for themselves or someone else. Every help seeker shares one thing in common: they reached for connection when they needed it most. Crisis Connections has been the calm in the storm for millions of people in Washington State since 1964. When you need us, we’ll be here with free, accessible support for mental health emergencies, basic needs emergencies, and peer support by call, text, or chat.
