May is National Mental Health Month and D-M’s Mental Health Clinic has a variety of programs to ensure that Airmen and their families know the proper ways to deal with pressures in any situation.
National Mental Health Month is a nation-wide movement to educate communities on mental health issues and the appropriate avenues of assistance.
“The purpose of MHM is to raise awareness and let people know that everyone struggles with issues and changes in their lives,†said Master Sgt. Diane Beleau, Mental Health Clinic flight chief. “It’s also to let people know that they don’t have to go through these issues alone, and that there are people who can help.â€
Common mental health issues facing military members today are substance abuse, adjustment issues and depression.
“Our job is to help people get the assistance that they need, be it one-on-one sessions with a counselor, support groups, or off-base facilities,†Beleau said.
Davis-Monthan’s Mental Health Clinic is open Monday – Friday from 7:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. Representatives can be reached at 228-4926.
“The stigma attached to mental health is that if you seek treatment, it will affect your career,†Beleau said. “Our job is not to take your stripes or your clearance; we don’t even have the ability to do that. Our job is to help you cope with whatever you are dealing with so that you can go on to happily complete your 20 or 30 years in service.â€
