New month, new growth! We wrote about welcoming this new season with grace. Did you know this month represents depression and world mental health month? The key thing to note about depression is that mood, sleep, appetite, concentration, cognition, and other disturbances are all related to depression, and knowing this is a relief because sometimes people think you can just snap out of it. Show compassion to your friends and family who may express feelings of depression and/or anxiety, because we can serve as a voice of reason & beacon of hope that really helps them get through it. Other things we’ve learned from past events:

• Advocate for yourself
• Develop routines
• Minimize social media use
• Find a hobby
• Connect with others
• Consider utilizing your FMLA/ other sick leave benefits which cover mental health.

It’s also breast cancer awareness, and there’s new research showing women should get checked before 40 years old. See below for some interesting articles to check out about these topics:

• Psychology Today: 10 Things Everyone Should Understand About Depression (1. Almost all depression is treatable)
• Social media and youth mental health [New Report] A longitudinal cohort study of U.S. adolescents aged 12-15 that adjusted for baseline mental health status found that adolescents who spent more than 3 hours per day on social media faced double the risk of experiencing poor mental health outcomes including symptoms of depression and anxiety.
• FDA Updates Mammography Regulations to Require Reporting of Breast Density Information and Enhance Facility Oversight | All breast centers must notify women of their breast density in their mammogram report.