Dr. Jose Clay-Flores will be leaving Children’s Rehabilitation Institute TeletonUSA (CRIT) effective November 6, 2021.

Dr. Cynthia Riley will be assuming care of Dr. Flores’ patients effective October 6, 2021.

Please reach out to Patient Services with any questions: (210) 257-6260 or patientservices@critusa.org.

Mental health refers to our social, emotional, and psychological well-being. It depends on internal and external factors.

When we experience difficult times, whether they are work, personal, emotional, family or financial matters, the demands can be very high and, at times, they can exceed our ability to handle them. This can have a negative impact on our mental health.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), mental health can be impacted by the following causes:

• Difficult life experiences.
• Living with (or close to) living conditions such as disability, or chronic diseases such as cancer or diabetes.
• Biological (hereditary) factors, or chemical imbalances in the brain.
• Use of alcohol or drugs.
• Feelings of loneliness or isolation.

Why is it important to take care of our mental health?

Mental health has a direct impact on the way we think, feel and act. It determines how we respond to stress, relate to other people, and how we make decisions. That is why it is as important to take care of it as we take care of our physical health.

Tips for maintaining good mental health

Here are seven tips for maintaining good mental health that you can implement in your daily life:

1. Connect with other people: it will reduce the feeling of isolation.
2. Support others: make a difference and feel better.
3. Take care of your physical health: exercise, eat healthy, and sleep well.
4. Set goals: what do you want or need to do now to achieve your goals?
5. Identify your emotions: learn to know yourself better in order to make better decisions.
6. Meditate: reduce anxiety attacks and improve your mood and behavior.
7. Take time for yourself: sometimes a pause helps you move forward.

At TeletonUSA Foundation we strive to guarantee the well-being of all our patients. That is why we recognize the importance of mental health.