hanging out with friends

May is National Mental Health Awareness Month.  It is no secret that there has been a sharp increase in the number of cases of depression, anxiety, stress, family conflict, domestic violence (and the list goes on and on).  The fact is that we are living in stressful times and many are having difficulty coping.  While there are numerous strategies for dealing with mental/relational distress (and different approaches are meaningful to different people) one thing I would recommend is the simple act of:  "Hanging Out With Friends."  For me, an evening with a good friend can significantly help to reduce my anxiety and lift my spirits.  I actually have several thoughts regarding this...

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