May is Mental Health Awareness Month—a time to start a conversation and raise awareness about mental health issues.

Like physical health, everyone has mental health, which is an overall state of emotional, psychological, and social wellbeing. The quality of our mental health can change over time due to life experiences.

Even though we tend to value health and talk about it openly, mental health is often excluded from the conversation due to negative attitudes or beliefs about people with mental health issues. At any given time, many of us are struggling with a mental health issue like a mental illness, which is a condition that affects how a person thinks, feels, and behaves. According to the World Health Organization, approximately one billion people are living with a mental illness—that’s 1 in every 8 people.

By talking about mental health, we can help create a culture where people feel comfortable with sharing their stories, finding support, and helping others. Throughout the month of May, we’ll share some resources and tips for talking about and improving mental health.

References

Barnes, Carlin, and Marketa Wills. “The Importance of Mental Health Awareness Month.” Psychology Today, Sussex Publishers, LLC, 14 May 2021, https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/mental-illness-in-america/202105/the-importance-mental-health-awareness-month.

How to Improve Mental Health. (n.d.). MedlinePlus. Retrieved April 11, 2022, from https://medlineplus.gov/howtoimprovementalhealth.html.

Mayo Clinic Staff. “Mental Illness.” Mayo Clinic, Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research, 13 Dec. 2022, https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/mental-illness/symptoms-causes/syc-20374968.

“Nearly One Billion People Have a Mental Disorder: WHO.” UN News, United Nations, 17 June 2022, https://news.un.org/en/story/2022/06/1120682.