Being healthy is about more than just a balanced diet, exercise, and regular preventive care. These practices contribute significantly to a healthy lifestyle, but it is equally important to pay attention to your behavioral and mental health, even though the ways to effectively manage these aspects might not be as clear.

Talking about your mental health can be difficult, especially if you’re not sure where to start or what resources are available to you. Stigma surrounding mental health can make seeking support can be difficult. Even starting the process can feel confusing, isolating, and difficult to manage on your own.

If you’re experiencing a mental health challenge, you’re not alone. Nearly 44 million people deal with mental health struggles every year. Support and help are available.

That’s why Premera is partnering with student athletes from the University of Washington, Washington State University, and Gonzaga University to hear how they manage their mental health – and why that work is a team effort.

We interviewed athletes from each school to learn how they manage the mental side of their health and to share encouragement with those who might be struggling or need tips for managing their own mental health. 

Whatever issues you may be facing, you have resources you can turn to. When we each feel we can be open and honest with someone we trust, our ability to work through our thoughts and emotions becomes that much stronger. 

But to do that, there needs to be a change in the collective mindset surrounding the topic. We can end the stigma around mental health issues and forge a new path forward for all of us, but only when we recognize that we’re all in this together.