Parkridge raises awareness on mental health during the Holiday

CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (WDEF)- To some, Christmas is the most wonderful time of the year

But Parkridge Medical Center is taking time during this Holiday season to raise awareness on mental health. 

“People are trying to get Christmas shopping done. There is a lot of social engagements happening, family gatherings, and those things can be really stressful for some people,” said Caitlynn Momon, mental Health Professional at Parkridge

According to Parkridge, people with Mental Health experience loneliness and restlessness. 

Momon explains why mental health should be taken seriously. 

“It is important because stress is like at an all time high for some people during the holidays, again, with all the social engagements and expectations to be here and and do you know a number of different things, the financial pressures that come with this time of year, it is just really important to raise that awareness and be aware of some of the signs and symptoms to look for,” Momon said. 

The National Alliance on Mental Illness found 3 in 5 Americans feel their mental health is negatively impacted by the holidays.

Momon says the Holidays are when substance use increases. 

“Stress is absolutely a trigger for most people. Lots of people find themselves using alcohol or opiates and things like that to mitigate the symptoms that come with stress,” said Momon.”So people are at an elevated risk of relapse during that time period.” 

Health experts suggest if you are experiencing mental health, help and treatment plans are available.  

And during this Christmas season, Momon believes it’s vital to take care of your body in order to ease mental health.

“Whether that is, playing golf or listening to music, doing some type of spa like activity, like getting a massage, you know, making time and being intentional with those things is super important for making sure that you are managing stress, and other things that come along with this time of year,” Momon concluded.