{"id":260148,"date":"2026-05-06T03:34:06","date_gmt":"2026-05-06T03:34:06","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/260148\/"},"modified":"2026-05-06T03:34:06","modified_gmt":"2026-05-06T03:34:06","slug":"call-988-if-you-need-help","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/260148\/","title":{"rendered":"call 988 if you need help"},"content":{"rendered":"

PANAMA CITY, Fla. (WJHG\/WECP) – According to the National Institute of Mental Health<\/a>, mental illnesses affect tens of millions of people in the U.S every year, but only half of those receive treatment.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s okay to ask for help, it\u2019s okay to lean on your support network, on your family, your friends, your church family, whoever, when you\u2019re not feeling the best, and you need someone to just lend a hand,\u201d said Lexi Smith, Behavioral Health Network Supervisor for Circuit 14 of NWF Health Network<\/a>.<\/p>\n

When your mental health starts to slip, your body and mind will tell you\u2014behavior changes, losing interest in what you love, or feeling more irritable than usual.<\/p>\n

With May marking National Mental Health Awareness Month, professionals are urging people to speak up and seek support.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere are services out there for individuals who do not have insurance or who are underinsured and maybe feel that maybe with Medicare or some other type of insurance, they just won\u2019t be able to get the help they need. It\u2019s definitely available, with the NWF Health Network, that\u2019s one of the things that we provide,\u201d said Smith.<\/p>\n

NWF Health Network is the local managing entity for mental health services in Northwest Florida.<\/p>\n

Smith says help is just a call or text away. Dial 988 if you are in a crisis or need support. If you need food, housing, therapy, or any other resource, you can connect through NWF Health Connects<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe are all human, we all go through things that can sometimes become very stressful, and it is okay to reach out for help, and I think that is why we have mental health awareness month,\u201d said Smith.<\/p>\n

Breaking the stigma and connecting people to local resources\u2014that\u2019s the goal.<\/p>\n

Remember: you are not alone.<\/p>\n

To see a full list of NWF Health Network\u2019s providers click HERE.<\/a><\/p>\n

For more on National Mental Health Awareness Month click HERE.<\/a><\/p>\n

To read \u201cThink Ahead: Mental Health Crisis Plan\u201d click HERE.<\/a><\/p>\n

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