Why is Mental Health Awareness Month Necessary?

Being human entails experiencing….a lot!!

During May's Mental Health Awareness Month, it's vital to educate people. The National Institute of Mental Health estimates that almost 47 million American adults, or one in every five, have a mental illness (NIMH). 2020 may be a more difficult year for many more people than usual due to the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. This Mental Health Awareness Month, it's more important than ever to keep healthy practices and be open to others in need.

How to Observe Mental Health Awareness Month

1. Take care of yourself. Life has numerous ups and downs. Some are solvable, but others are not so much. When your mental health acts up, seek the proper treatment and make yourself better because, after all, life has much more to offer than just pain and suffering.

2. Take care of your loved ones. Check-in with your friends and family to see how they're doing. All people require is a shoulder to weep on and an ear to listen. Support and encourage them if they are being treated for any mental health issues.

3. Talk about mental health. One of the best ways to celebrate Mental Health Awareness Month is by talking about it with your peers. The more you talk about it, the more normalized it will become. It is one of the month's aims, as the stigma attached to mental health has led to countless delays in treatment AND research.

4. Use the following Mental Health Awareness Month hashtags on social media to make it easier for others to follow along:

#MentalHealthAwarenessMonth

#MentalHealthMonth

#EndTheStigma

#BreakTheStigma