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Boston: Mental Health, Resilience, and Self Care in April

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This April, we want to take a moment to focus on mental health wellness and resilience. By many accounts, this has been a difficult winter for mental health, and the shift into spring is a natural opportunity to pause, check in, and take stock of how we are doing. The beginning of the warmer months is often linked to improved mood for many, more daylight, more time outdoors, and more social connection.  At the same time, there are some who actually report increases in depression and anxiety symptoms at the end of winter.

If you have been feeling the weight of this season in any way, we encourage you to take a few minutes each day to stop and check in with yourself, starting with physical sensations. Are you noticing tightness in your chest or persistent tension in your body? Have you been struggling to focus on work or doing tasks at home? Are you having difficulty falling asleep, or waking during the night? Has your appetite changed at all? These are signals worth paying attention to. If you are experiencing any combination of these feelings over several days or weeks, some targeted self-care may be genuinely helpful. Consider the following starting points:
  • Practice a grounding or breathing exercise. Five to ten minutes of slow, intentional breathing can calm racing thoughts and lower your heart rate. Linked here is one example of a calming breathing technique you can do at home. Other grounding approaches include wrapping yourself in a warm blanket for several minutes or pressing your feet firmly into a soft rug or bathmat.  These are small physical anchors that can help bring your attention back to the present moment.
  • Complete your yearly checkup with your primary care provider. Mental health challenges sometimes have physical roots, including illness, chronic health conditions, or environmental factors like seasonal allergies. A routine checkup is a good opportunity to raise any concerns, and your PCP can also assist with referrals to other providers if needed.
  • Monitor your diet and water intake. When stressed, many people gravitate toward starchy or sugar-heavy comfort foods, which can fuel a cycle of fatigue and increased anxiety. Staying hydrated and eating balanced meals supports both mood and energy. Regular physical activity also makes a meaningful difference, whether that looks like running, weightlifting, or a straightforward 30-minute walk.
  • Schedule personal time. For some people, maintaining work and routine provides a helpful sense of focus and structure. For others, a period of rest and slower-paced activity is what allows healing to happen. Pay attention to which feels true for you right now.
  • Spend time in nature. Even brief exposure to green spaces, parks, or natural light has been shown to reduce stress and improve mood. With spring arriving, even a short walk through a neighborhood park or along the waterfront can be restorative.
  • Get involved in your community. Every year, the City of Boston observes One Boston Day on April 15, in support and commemoration of the Boston Marathon.   Volunteer opportunities are always available, from outdoor volunteer cleanup and maintenance organizations such as the Emerald Necklace Conservancy to giving to those in need of food and services through Boston Cares or the Greater Boston Food Bank.  Community engagement and volunteering are consistently linked to improved mood and reduced feelings of isolation.
  • Limit news and social media consumption. Awareness and engagement in the world around you are both important. At the same time, constant exposure to distressing headlines and repeated engagement with endless content on social media can heighten anxiety and make it difficult to feel present. Consider setting designated times to check the news rather than scrolling throughout the day and be intentional about which accounts and sources you follow.
  • Reach out to someone you trust. Sometimes the most effective thing you can do is have an earnest conversation with a friend or family member. Just reaching out and letting them know how you are doing can be helpful.

Mental Health Observances

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In taking stock of seasonal changes in mental health, we want to highlight two important mental health observances that fall in April.

April is recognized nationally as Sexual Assault Awareness Month, a time to focus on resources, education, and community support for survivors of sexual violence. As statistics compiled by the Rape and Incest National Network (RAINN) show, sexual violence affects an estimated 433,000 people each year in the United States alone. Survivors deserve access to community support and compassionate resources. RAINN's 24/7 Sexual Assault Hotline is available at 1-800-656-4673.  The Massachusetts Office for Victim Assistance features AskMOVA, a database leading to different services for victims of violence and witnesses to violence.  The National Sexual Violence Resource Center also offers education, prevention, and protection resources.

April 16 also marks National Semicolon Day, a day set aside to draw awareness to suicide prevention and resiliency.  Founded by Project Semicolon in 2013, the day grew from one person's experience with mental health struggles and her choice to speak openly about them. The semicolon represents the idea that a difficult chapter in your story is not the end, it is a pause before you continue.

We discuss suicide prevention at this time because rates of suicide attempts also increase at the outbreak of spring. This phenomenon, sometimes called the "spring peak," has been observed across decades of research. While the exact causes are not fully understood, several factors are thought to contribute. The rapid increase in daylight and the biological changes that come with it, shifts in serotonin and cortisol levels, disrupted sleep as the sun rises earlier, and changes in energy can destabilize mood in ways that are difficult to anticipate, particularly for those already managing depression or anxiety. For some, the return of energy after a depressive period can increase risk, as motivation returns before mood fully stabilizes.

Seeking Help

Self-care and awareness are meaningful first steps in improving your well-being, but if these feelings are persistent or are interfering with your work or relationships, we encourage you to reach out to a mental health professional. The City of Boston Employee Assistance Program (EAP) offers free, confidential counseling for all City employees and their immediate family members. Our counselors can help you process what you are experiencing, as well as assist with referrals to longer-term therapy or other support services if needed.  We are best reached at 617-635-2200 from 7am-5pm Monday through Friday.

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If you are not yet ready for a one-on-one conversation, the EAP Resource List on Boston.gov includes mental health, substance use, financial, childcare, and other community support resources across Greater Boston. It is a good place to start exploring your options at your own pace.

If you or someone you know is struggling, the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline is available by dialing or texting 988. For immediate support or crisis situations, the Massachusetts Behavioral Health Helpline is also available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week at 833-773-2445, in over 200 languages.

From all of us at the EAP, we wish you a safe, grounded, and healthy April.

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