Mental health includes our emotional, psychological, and social well-being. It affects how we think, feel, and act. It also helps determine how we handle stress, relate to others, and make choices. Mental health is important at every stage of life. Over the course of your life, if you experience mental health problems, your thinking, mood, and behavior could be affected. 

2-1-1 Maryland: 211 is an information database that  informs, connects and advocates for individuals through partnerships with state and local agencies. Maryland Residents can dial 211 for resources. 

National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI): NAMI Metropolitan Baltimore envisions a world where all people affected by mental illness lead healthy, fulfilling lives supported by a community that cares. To support that mission, they provide advocacy, education, support, and public awareness around mental health issues.

Mental Health is Health: “Mental Health is Health” is an MTV Entertainment Group initiative rooted in the reality that we all have mental health and need to take care of it like we do our physical health. The initiative aims to normalize conversations on mental health, create a connection to resources, and inspire action on mental health.

HeyPeers Virtual Support Groups: Their mission is to help more people improve their lives by leveraging innovative technology and evidence-based peer support programs.

The Ekmans' Atlas of Emotions: An interactive tool that builds your vocabulary of emotions and illuminates your emotional world.

Deep Breathing Exercise: A relaxation technique performed by purposefully taking slow, deep breaths. When practiced regularly, deep breathing provides both immediate and long-term relief from stress and anxiety.

Grounding Techniques: Grounding techniques help control symptoms of anxiety by turning attention away from thoughts, memories, or worries, and refocusing on the present moment.

Spotify Playlist for Mental Health: These suggested playlists supplied through Spotify include songs of hope and self-love.

International OCD Foundation: A community that provides help, healing, and hope for people affected by OCD to ensure no one suffers alone.

Why Both Physical and Mental Health Matter (VIDEO): A clear distinction is often made between “mind” and “body” – but mental health and physical health should not be thought of as separate. Learn more about the link between physical health and mental health.

HRSA Find A Health Center: This tool allows you to search for local HRSA-funded health centers. These centers are community-based and offer services such as mental health, substance use, medical, dental, and other healthcare needs.

Maryland Health Coverage Assistance Team (HCAT): The HCAT can answer your health insurance questions, address problems or concerns you may have with your health insurance and connect you to health assistance resources.

NOCD: Find a therapist that specializes in treating OCD and OCD-related conditions. NOCD offers virtual services with highly trained OCD specialists and accepts most insurance plans.

Heartly House: An organization that provides comprehensive services, free of charge, to survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault, intimate partner violence, human trafficking, and child abuse. Heartly House offers both individual and group counseling to children and adults, as well as survivors and secondary survivors. Some support groups are designed specifically for male survivors.

Instagram Pages Worth Following:

1. @millenial.therapist
2. @letstalk.mentalhealth
3. @ireticounseling 

Insurance explained: Insurance companies work closely with mental health providers to cover your mental health needs and services. This short handbook outlines how to get started with insurance coverage, the different forms of payments accepted for mental health services and detailed information on using the UMB Student Health Insurance Plan for services.

Incorporating Wellness into Studying and Exams: This booklet discusses how to balance studying with taking care of yourself while also reviewing evidenced based studying and test taking tips. This can be helpful for exams throughout school in addition to board exams before or after you graduate.

STEP Prep and Wellness: This booklet is the same as the one above but with a focus on the STEP 1 and STEP 2 exams that Medical students take after their second and third years of Med school.

Three Quick Self-Compassion Skills: Three brief skills focused on mindfulness and self-compassion, including a mindfulness grounding exercise, a validation work-life balance conceptualization, and a thought practice. A five minute self-compassion meditation is also linked.

OSA Insider Podcast featuring Dr. Cassie Moon: Explains more about Student Counseling Center services, stigmas related to mental health, reviewing available resources, and normalizing well being and asking for help.

Tips for Dealing with a Breakup: From Oscar Cortina, LCPC, a booklet that discusses break ups, including the various emotions and thoughts that can happen and how to take care of yourself in the process.