People may experience improved social interaction or general feelings of well-being with moderate alcohol consumption. But it’s important to understand that alcohol use can pose a risk to someone’s mental health, overall mood, and daily cognitive functioning due to its impact on brain chemicals. Alcohol use – especially excessive alcohol use – can exacerbate pre-existing […]

Using alcohol to cope with difficult feelings or problems can create more problems. You may not realize that drinking is affecting your health. Mental health symptoms caused by problem drinking can include: memory problems, concentration problems, finding it hard to learn new things, personality changes, hazy thinking, anxiety, and depression. For more information please visit: […]

Feeling emotional, nervous or having trouble sleeping and eating can all be normal reactions to stress. Here are some healthy ways you can deal with stress: · Take care of yourself: Eat healthy, get plenty of sleep, and give yourself a break if you feel stressed out. · Get enough exercise: Whether you are a […]

Did you know… Research tells us that alcohol use during teenage years: · Decreases your ability to pay attention · Increases your chances of developing an addiction · Makes it more likely you could be a victim of assault/injury (including sexual assault), alcohol overdose and/or death Alcohol can make symptoms of mental health conditions worse. […]

Stress can be debilitating, and it can cause and/or aggravate health problems. Since stress is a normal part of human existence, nobody is immune to it. It is important to arm ourselves with knowledge so that we recognize when stress is present (amazingly, we don’t always notice it’s happening to us). It is important to […]

What is Alcohol Awareness Month? Alcohol Awareness Month is a national public health awareness campaign sponsored by the National Council for Alcoholism and Drug Dependence (NCADD). It takes place every April. Alcohol Awareness Month was developed in order to increase awareness and understanding of the causes and treatment of one of our nation’s top public […]

Why is stress awareness so important? It can remind us to pay attention to our health. Stress Awareness Month aims to inform individuals about the dangers of stress, successful coping strategies, and harmful misconceptions about stress that are prevalent in our society. We are all feeling stress in some way. A recent survey found that […]

In partnership with University of Minnesota Extension, NAMI Minnesota will begin a monthly suicide prevention program for agricultural and rural communities. QPR (Question, Persuade, Refer) is a 90-minute, evidence-based training that teaches the three steps anyone can take to help prevent suicide. Emily Krekelberg, the Extension Educator for Farm Health & Safety, will facilitate the […]

Phil Johnson: Managing Director, US Men’s Sheds Tuesday March 30, 2021 10:00-12:00 Register to Participate Men’s Shed is an international phenomenon with thousands of clubs worldwide, originating in Australia. In a world that is facing a loneliness epidemic across generations, Men’s Shed builds social connection! Social connection is one of the most important resources for […]

According to Dr. Eva Selhub, contributing writer to Harvard Health Blog, serotonin is a neurotransmitter that helps regulate sleep and appetite, mediate moods, and inhibit pain. Since about 95% of your serotonin is produced in your gastrointestinal tract, and your gastrointestinal tract is lined with a hundred million nerve cells, or neurons, it makes sense […]

Every year, we try to find a word to encompass the past 12 months, and there were some to be expected: coronavirus, pandemic, and lockdown. But the one we chose may be less obvious: resilience. There is no denying that 2020 was hard. But for all of its trials and tribulations, we made it to […]

Make your voice heard! This year’s Mental Health Day on the Hill will be a virtual one, held on Thursday, March 11, 2021. The event will kick off at 9 AM with virtual messages, as well as an overview of current mental health policy and funding issues. After that, you will have a chance to […]