Picture this: you are floating in an ocean with a cement block tied tightly around your ankle. Using all of your energy, you swim to the top just to take a breath. Within seconds, the cement block drags you back under the ocean leaving you gasping for air. This is how a good friend of mine describes her daily struggles with a mental health concern known as depression.

Mental health is defined as “a person’s condition with regard to their psychological and emotional well-being.” Depression, addiction, self-injury, anxiety, and suicide are a few mental health concerns that effect nearly one in five individuals. Students these days have a harder time dealing with stressful situations than past generations. With anxiety now being the number one health concern among college students, it is important to shed some light on mental health.

Mental health has impacted the lives of many family members and friends whom I love. I hope to eradicate the stigma against mental health through this month’s cause. During the month of June, we will be donating to To Write Love On Her Arms, founded by Jamie Tworkowski. He believes every individual was created to love and be loved. His non-profit organization is dedicated to finding hope for people suffering from mental illnesses by encouraging, informing, and inspiring others to invest in treatment and recovery.

But like anything in life, there has to be hope. By developing a deeper mind-body connection, people can learn techniques that will help cope with mental health illnesses. A listening practice called interoception, encourages individuals to pay attention to fluctuating, internal bodily sensations as they emerge and change from one moment to the next. When people begin to feel stress arise in their bodies, breathing becomes more rapid. But instead of getting angry and yelling, these kids remind themselves to Just Breathe. Finding a way to slow down the thought process creates a grounding and calming effect.

Help us mend the world one stitch at a time by raising awareness and breaking the stigma against mental health. Order your stitch today!