Mental Health Connecticut

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Mental Health Connecticut Established in 1908, we're one of the nation's oldest nonprofit mental health agencies.

Mental Health Connecticut (MHC) envisions a future where wellbeing is rooted in respect for the condition of being human. We get closer to realizing this future vision each day through our mission of partnering with individuals, families, and communities to create environments that support long-term health and wellness.

What is OCD? Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is a mental health disorder marked by obsessions and compulsions. Obses...
10/13/2026

What is OCD? Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is a mental health disorder marked by obsessions and compulsions. Obsessions are unwanted, intrusive thoughts, images, or urges that cause significant distress. Compulsions are repetitive behaviors or mental acts that a person feels driven to perform, often to reduce the distress caused by obsessions or to prevent something bad from happening.⁠
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OCD can center on many different fears and concerns, and compulsions are not always visible to others. While the specific thoughts and behaviors can vary widely from person to person, they can become time-consuming, interfere with daily life, and cause significant distress.⁠
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Common obsessions include: contamination, harm/violence, perfectionism, and religious or moral fear. Common compulsions include: washing and cleaning, checking for mistakes, repeating, ordering/arranging, and avoidance.⁠
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The International OCD Foundation provides a list of common obsessions and compulsions, with information on each symptom. Learn more and find resources at https://iocdf.org/programs/ocdweek/.

Great news! Mom, I Have Something to Tell You is now available on YouTube! Mom, I Have Something to Tell You is a short ...
10/12/2026

Great news! Mom, I Have Something to Tell You is now available on YouTube! Mom, I Have Something to Tell You is a short documentary that explores the life-changing impact of one conversation and the special bond between gay sons and their mothers. Created by Rick Miller, founder of the nonprofit Gay Sons and Mothers, the film showcases the unique relationship that gay men have with their mothers and the significance that relationship has had on coming out and on their intimate relationships. ⁠
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The film has already received critical acclaim and earned honors at the Best Shorts Competition, including the LGBTQ+ Theme Recognition Award, the Viewer Impact Award, and the Inspirational Award. Watch now at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aSvRd0T7kcA and share with friends and family who may be affected by the stories. Feel free to share your personal testimony about your relationship with your mother; whether you identify as gay or not, the relationship between mothers and their children impacts us for life.⁠
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Learn more about Gay Sons and Mothers at https://gaysonsandmothers.org/.⁠

On Friday, October 9th, U.S. Sen. Richard Blumenthal held a press conference at the New Haven Green to demand that the f...
10/12/2026

On Friday, October 9th, U.S. Sen. Richard Blumenthal held a press conference at the New Haven Green to demand that the federal government take action on mental health parity. He was joined by Christian Damiana, Public Policy Manager for MHC, who emphasized the importance of mental health parity. Connecticut’s state parity laws are based on federal laws, which have not been enforced under the Trump Administration.

“Somewhere in Connecticut, someone is trying to find a therapy appointment right now,” Damiana said. “In the insurance capital of the world, it ought to be the easiest place in America to make that call.”

Learn more about parity and the press conference at https://www.newhavenindependent.org/2026/10/09/parity-proponents-press-for-mental-health-rules-enforcement/.

October 11th begins National OCD Awareness Week. ⁠⁠This week aims to dispel myths about obsessive-compulsive disorder, b...
10/11/2026

October 11th begins National OCD Awareness Week. ⁠
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This week aims to dispel myths about obsessive-compulsive disorder, break the stigma around mental illness, and provide education about the disorder and how to support those affected. For the more than 200 million people worldwide living with OCD, public misconceptions can prevent them from accessing the timely, effective treatment they need to move from suffering to thriving.⁠
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Throughout the week, we will share resources from the International OCD Foundation to learn about OCD as a mental health condition, common myths that create barriers to care, and ways to support someone diagnosed with OCD.

For more resources please visit https://iocdf.org/programs/ocdweek/.

October 11th is National Coming Out Day! ⁠⁠National Coming Out Day was founded in 1988 by LGBTQ+ activists Jean O’Leary ...
10/11/2026

October 11th is National Coming Out Day! ⁠
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National Coming Out Day was founded in 1988 by LGBTQ+ activists Jean O’Leary and Robert Eichberg to serve as a reminder of the importance of visibility as well as the LGBTQ+ community's progress in the fight for acceptance and equal rights. Today, we honor this day by celebrating "coming out" or expressing your true sexual orientation or gender identity to the world.⁠
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There are benefits to coming out, including less chronic stress, fewer symptoms of depression, and less anxiety than those who do not openly share their orientation (University of Montreal). Coming out to family and friends can also strengthen relationships as you share information about your authentic self with them.⁠
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We also want to hold space for individuals in the LGBTQ+ community who may want to come out but are not in a safe environment to do so. There could be the risk of rejection, losing a home or loved ones, or even mental or physical abuse if they share their sexual or gender orientation.⁠
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Whether or not you choose to come out is a personal decision. If you are struggling with mental health symptoms or need someone to talk to, you can call 988 or contact The Trevor Project: Text START to 678-678 or call 866.488.7386 for LGBTQ+-centered information and resources. Learn more at our https://www.thetrevorproject.org/get-help/.⁠
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Our hope is that one day we will celebrate National Coming Out Day as a way to promote acceptance for all individuals who identify as part of the LGBTQ+ community.⁠

October 10th marks World Mental Health Day. 💚⁠⁠The theme for this year is "Lived Experiences: Real Voices, Real Change,"...
10/10/2026

October 10th marks World Mental Health Day. 💚⁠
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The theme for this year is "Lived Experiences: Real Voices, Real Change," and we look to people with lived experience of mental health conditions. Lived experience is what someone has experienced firsthand, which gives them a deeper understanding than those who have only heard or learned about such experiences can have.⁠
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Sharing stories and lifting voices can help educate and build community for mental wellness. Here at Mental Health Connecticut, we are proud to work with individuals with lived experience, community partners, legislators, and community members to continue breaking down barriers to care for mental health conditions and to build stronger support systems for wellness.⁠

Learn more about MHC and our work at our website - www.mhconn.org and join our community to support mental wellness for all of Connecticut!

This past weekend, staff attended Nightfall in West Hartford! Marisol Ortiz, Senior Wellness Specialist, and Christina S...
10/08/2026

This past weekend, staff attended Nightfall in West Hartford! Marisol Ortiz, Senior Wellness Specialist, and Christina Smith, Administrative & Marketing Coordinator hosted a booth to share resources and promote MHC's Art of Wellbeing Program.

They had an amazing community canvas that Marisol painted herself for the event, and encouraged everyone to be creative by designing an animal mask to wear during the show! Marisol and Christina had a lot of fun and even made their own masks to get in the spirit!

Thank you to Nightfall for putting together another amazing show for the community. We are grateful to partner with you and other organizations to support creativity and wellbeing in Connecticut!

Learn more about the Art of Wellbeing program, including the art studio in Hartford, by visiting https://www.mhconn.org/our-services/the-art-of-wellbeing/!



October 8th marks National Depression Screening Day. ⁠Today is a day to It raise awareness about depression, reduce ment...
10/08/2026

October 8th marks National Depression Screening Day.
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Today is a day to It raise awareness about depression, reduce mental health stigma, and provide education about depression and recovery. We cannot be afraid to talk about depression open and honestly! ⁠
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Depression is not just someone feeling sad. Validate their feelings and acknowledge that depression is a real medical issue and not just happening in their head. Provide resources such as FindTreatment.gov or call/text 988! ⁠
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Mental Health America has a great online screening tool for depression, which can be found at https://screening.mhanational.org/screening-tools/depression/. Take the short quiz and it will identify if you are experiencing symptoms of depression and need to speak with a doctor. They also have a screening test for postpartum parents as well! ⁠
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Please know that the online screening can just identify symptoms and identify patterns that may be associated with depression. It is not a diagnostic tool. If you are concerned, please share your results with your primary care physician for individual testing and an official diagnosis. ⁠

The symptoms of ADHD can create challenges for adults in the workplace, just as they do for children in school. Some adu...
10/07/2026

The symptoms of ADHD can create challenges for adults in the workplace, just as they do for children in school. Some adults with ADHD have very successful careers. Others may struggle with a variety of challenges, including poor communication skills, distractibility, procrastination, and difficulty managing complex projects.⁠
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Seeking assistance from a career counselor, psychologist, social worker, or other health care worker with career counseling training can help in understanding and coping with ADHD on the job.⁠

Learn more at https://chadd.org/for-adults/workplace-issues/!

There are many types of depression, some of which are better known than others. Clinical depression occurs when a persis...
10/06/2026

There are many types of depression, some of which are better known than others. Clinical depression occurs when a persistent dark mood feels like it is consuming a person, leading to an inability to complete daily tasks and a loss of interest in favorite activities. Bipolar disorder is included on the list not because it is the same mental health condition; it is not, but because individuals diagnosed with bipolar disorder can experience episodes of major depression.⁠
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Another common form of depression is Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD), which many people experience in the autumn and winter. SAD occurs during the dark winter months when people receive less sunlight, which can lead to depression. MHC is dedicated to supporting individuals with SAD through our Winter Wellness Toolkit - an online resource shared each December that provides hands-on resources and activities to lessen the symptoms of SAD. We are already working on the toolkit for later this year, but check out the 2025-2026 Toolkit at https://www.mhconn.org/winter-wellness-with-mhc/!⁠
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You can also learn more about the different types of depression at https://www.samhsa.gov/mental-health/what-is-mental-health/conditions/depression.⁠
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76 Batterson Park Road, Suite 303
Farmington, CT
06032

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