May is Mental Health Awareness Month

Mental Health Awareness Month

Mental Health Awareness Month was established in 1949 to increase awareness of the importance of mental health and wellness in Americans’ lives and to celebrate recovery from mental illness. For more than 20 years, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) has recognized Mental Health Awareness Month (MHAM) every May to increase awareness about the vital role mental health plays in our overall health and well-being and provide resources and information to support individuals and communities who may need mental health support.

As we age, we may experience life changes that impact our mental health.

It’s never too late to get help.
It is important to remember that older adults may have different mental health symptoms. For example, a lack of interest in some activities.
Talking about mental health can help older adults feel more comfortable asking for support.
Mental health treatment can be part of a wellness program to help older adults live happy and fulfilling lives.
Mental health professionals can help older adults cope with life changes.
Friends and family can experience meaningful mutual connection by spending time visiting with older adults.
Mental health is important at every age. Spending time with friends and family can boost older adults’ mental and physical health.

Supportive families, communities, and resources can help youth build strong foundations for lifelong well-being.

By teaching children and teens coping skills, we can empower them to take charge of their mental health.
Know the signs of mental health issues in children and teens. Early diagnosis and treatment can save lives.
Start the conversation early: talking about mental health can help children and teens build coping skills and feel comfortable with their emotions.
Nurturing relationships and environments are important for helping children and teens develop good mental health and manage life stressors in healthy ways.
Good mental health increases the ability of children and teens to practice self-care and face challenges with resilience.

Pregnancy and giving birth can be joyful and can also present a variety of strong emotions for pregnant and postpartum people.

Strong emotions may include feeling overwhelmed, scared, tired, worried, and inadequate. Depression, anxiety, and other symptoms during and after pregnancy are common and treatable. They affect new parents of every culture, age, gender, race, and income level.
For many people, these feelings go away on their own, in time. But for some, these emotions are more serious and require assistance. Help is available. You are not alone. Asking for help can help keep you and your baby as healthy as possible.
Unaddressed maternal health issues can lead to pregnancy-related death and unintentional harm to you or your baby.
Proper self-care and seeking help when you need it can help you maintain good mental health.

Everyone deserves access to respectful and culturally appropriate care.

Members of racial and ethnic minority groups experience challenges that may require unique mental health support.
Cultural differences should be respected and celebrated when providing mental health support.
Mental health care providers are encouraged to consider the cultural nuances and needs of the diverse communities they serve.
Addressing and reducing barriers to treatment are the first steps to building more equitable health systems.
Together, we can improve access to mental health care for people from racial and ethnic minority groups.

What If Someone Talks To You About Their Mental Health?

Listen. Let them finish their sentences and complete thoughts without interrupting. After they have finished you can respond.
Let them know if you understand. If someone has just spilled their guts and and you’ve gone through something similar—tell them. It helps a lot for someone to know they aren’t alone. Make sure you don’t switch the topic of conversation to your struggles though; focus on their needs.
Avoid being judgmental. Don’t tell them they are being weird or crazy; it’s not helpful at all.
Take them seriously. Try not to respond with statements that minimize how they are feeling or what they are going through, such as, “You’re just having a bad week,” or “I’m sure it’s nothing.”
Make yourself available to talk again if needed. While it can be a big relief for someone to share something they have been keeping secret, mental health struggles usually aren’t solved with one conversation. Let the person who has spoken with you know that they can reach out to you again if they are having a tough time. It’s ok to let them know if there is a time of day or certain days of the week that you aren’t available. For instance, “I’m here for you if you need to talk, but my parents don’t let me use the phone after 9 on school nights, so call before then.
Don't turn what you've been told into gossip. If someone is talking to you about their mental health, it was probably tough for them to work up the nerve to say something in the first place and you shouldn’t share what they tell you with other students at school. Let them share on their own terms.
If you don't understand, do some research and learn about what you've been told. Make sure that your information is coming from reliable sources like government agencies and health organizations.
Tell an adult if you have to. It’s important to have friends that trust you, but if a friend indicates they have thoughts or plans of hurting themselves or another person, have been hearing voices or seeing things that no one else can hear or see, or have any other signs and symptoms that shouldn’t be ignored then you need to tell an adult what is going on. That doesn’t make you a bad friend; it just means that the problem requires more help than you can give. If someone you know is in crisis and needs help urgently, call or text 988, text MHA to 741741, go to your local emergency room, or call 911.