LAFC News:

May is Mental Health Awareness Month. Mental health is part of everyday life. It shapes how we think, feel, connect with others, and move through the world.

While symptoms can vary, a broad view of mental health shows:

• Mental illnesses are medical conditions involving changes in emotion, appetite, thinking, or behavior that can affect daily functioning.
• Serious mental illness can substantially interfere with major life activities, including work, school, relationships, and self-care.
• Economic instability, housing insecurity, unemployment, and limited access to healthcare can increase stress and worsen mental health conditions.
• Chronic stress related to financial hardship or unstable housing can contribute to the development or worsening of serious mental illness.

Early support, including access to stable housing, employment assistance, healthcare, and community programs, improves long-term stability and well-being.

When people feel respected and understood, they are more likely to seek care and remain connected to services.