May is Mental Health Awareness Month and can help to provide education about living with a mental health condition and societies general views about mental health. But what does Mental Health Awareness month mean to you?
What is Mental Health Awareness Month?
Mental Health Awareness Month was originally established in the 1950’s and is recognised during the month of May. It was created to educate the public about mental illness, raise awareness surrounding research and treatments, reduce stigma and celebrate the recovery journey from mental health challenges. There are many misconceptions and stigma about mental health issues and people often suffer in silence and don’t always seek out treatment for their conditions. Mental health awareness month is an important scheme to improve the general understanding of mental health conditions and give us all a better understanding.
What is the importance of Mental Health Awareness Month?
Mental Health Awareness Month helps people recognise the ways mental illness impacts their lives and the lives of those around them, educates people about available services, and highlights ways to advocate, even if they don't have a mental illness.
Recognition and education are important ways to remove the stigma associated with mental illness within society. Mental Health Awareness Month creates a time and space to start a conversation about mental health.
Caregivers, friends, and loved ones can help to understand the impact that mental health has on daily life and when people are better educated about mental health conditions, they can better support and help someone dealing with a mental health issue and show empathy for those people.
Who can benefit from Mental Health Awareness Month?
Mental Health can affect us all. Each person that struggles with their mental health has family and friends, whose lives are affected by their condition, even if they don't themselves suffer from one.
Mental Health Awareness Month helps those who may be struggling to overcome the stigma that mental health can bring and gain access to treatment. It can help their friends, family, and loved ones to understand their condition more compassionately and connect with potential support networks.
What can you do to raise awareness for mental health?
There are many opportunities for fundraising, community outreach, and awareness events during Mental Health Awareness Month. Many national organisations like Mind and the Samaritans hold events and fundraisers.
If there is someone in your life struggling with their mental health, one of the things you can do is reach out and start a conversation. Educate yourself about the realities of living with mental health issues and confront any feeling of stigma or judgment you may have. Just supporting those in your life can spread the message of awareness and acceptance and help us all understand mental health struggles a little bit more
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