Mental Health Awareness | Grinnell Mutual
Channel: Grinnell Mutual
Date: 2021-05-24

Jeff Menary, Grinnell Mutual president and CEO, was infected with West Nile Virus in September 2017. Fewer than 1 percent of people infected become critically ill, and Jeff was one of them. His symptoms included encephalitis, meningitis, extreme muscle weakness, and total paralysis. After nearly five months in hospitals for care and rehab, he returned home as a paraplegic.  

However, Jeff suffered from mental side effects, too — some people infected with West Nile Virus experience high anxiety.

For Mental Health Awareness Month, Lydia Caraveo, wellness manager, interviewed Jeff about about his experiences with anxiety, the treatment he received, and the lessons he learned about himself — and about mental health.