The Importance of Mental Health Month
May is dedicated to honoring and giving respect to mental health. It is a time when people recognize the weight mental health has on both an individual and a community. It is also a month that encourages people to take a break and breathe before stress or sadness consumes them. Although mental health should be prioritized every day, it is important to understand why May is the month that brings awareness to mental health.
Mental Health Awareness Month was first established in 1949 by the Mental Health America organization. This month was created to educate the public about mental illness, encourage research around treatments, reduce the stigma surrounding mental health, and celebrate recovery.
Creating a month like this is imperative because, due to stigma, many people struggle with their mental health in silence. This is detrimental because bottled-up emotions can begin to consume a person. This month, dedicated to Mental Health Awareness, encourages society to look inward and reminds individuals not to be ashamed of the battles they are facing.
It opens space for conversation, so no one feels alone in what they are dealing with. Speaking openly about mental health can encourage those who are struggling to seek help or find support. Understanding the importance of this month matters because you never know who around you may be struggling. For example, in the United States, 48 million adults experience anxiety, 21 million have major depression, and 9 million have post-traumatic stress disorder. Even so, these statistics do not fully represent how many people struggle with mental health issues, as people of all ages are affected.
Many times, people of color avoid seeking help for mental health because of fear of being viewed as weak or due to cultural and racial stigmas. This is why normalizing conversations about mental health is so important; it helps break down the belief that struggling with mental health makes someone weak. Maintaining balanced mental health can include therapy, talking to a close friend or family member, or journaling.
Take this month of May to do something positive for your mental health. Whether that is going to sleep earlier, buying something you really wanted, going to therapy, or journaling; make time for yourself. Honor mental health and refuse to stigmatize it, because those who overcome internal battles are some of the strongest people.
