What Is It?
Since 1949, May has been mental health awareness month. For 70 years now, it has served served as an annual reminder to increase understanding of mental health issues and to take down stigma. The fact that 1 in 5 people will be affected by mental illness in their lifetime emphasizes the need for a movement like this.
What’s The Goal?
Mental Health America and NAMI have headed up this effort to educate the public, build empathy, and clear the path for people to connect with the therapeutic help they might need. Over the years, these organizations have highlighted various issues surrounding mental health including self-care, physical wellness, etc.
Mental health awareness month tackles negative associations with mental health treatment as well as other obstacles preventing people from seeking help such as cost, access to resources, and time. It provides outlets to educate yourself/others on these issues, advocate for policies supporting mental health, and NAMI even provides a link to a Cure Stigma quiz to help us see how much we may or may not fall victim to negative stereotypes around mental illness.
Why Is It Important?
Mental health awareness month helps to universalize mental health issues and their treatments. Having this conversation helps us understand that these types of struggles are part of many of our stories. These struggles are nothing to feel shame about, but perhaps to view as something that bonds us together as human beings. What underlies mental health month - which should not be limited to one month, we might add - is the reminder that everyone is supported and not alone.
How do you feel about mental health month? Comment below.