We’ve had some really important discussions this month about mental health. Mental Health Awareness Month is a great opportunity to bring to light what so many often keep in the dark. If you missed any of our previous conversations, you can find them here:

– Mothers, Mental Health and the Conversation We Should All Be Having

– Postpartum depression: What new moms–and anyone who knows a new mom–need to know.

– What I Wish Someone Had Told Me When I Was a Young Mom

– Our Teens Are Facing a Mental Health Crisis and Social Media Is the Culprit

To wrap up Mental Health Awareness Month, I want to leave you with five things everyone must understand about mental health, whether you are suffering yourself or know someone who is:

1. Recognize it and confront it. The most important part of dealing with mental illness, whether it is depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder, etc., is to recognize it and confront it when it exists.

Many parents and kids (particularly teens) don’t want to admit when a family member is having trouble. Many are afraid of what the illness will do or they feel ashamed, thinking that they are mentally weak. Sometimes,…