It's the end of Mental Health Awareness Week, but mental health consciousness must continue
This week, Oct. 1-7, was Mental Health Awareness week, and according to the National Alliance of Mental Illness (NAMI), millions of Americans are affected by mental illness, and that can be directly or indirectly. Here are a few statistics from the organization:
Approximately 1 in 5 adults in the U.S.—43.8 million, or 18.5%—experiences mental illness in a given year.
Approximately 1 in 25 adults in the U.S.—9.8 million, or 4.0%—experiences a serious mental illness in a given year that substantially interferes with or limits one or more major life activities.
Approximately 1 in 5 youth aged 13–18 (21.4%) experiences a severe mental disorder at some point during their life. For children aged 8–15, the estimate is 13%.
This week, organizations and groups, like NAMI, have been bringing awareness to mental health and educating people about the importance of recognizes mental illnesses and minimizing the stigmas.
Source: nami.org
What Can You Do
1. Notice the warning signs
Whether it's you, a family member, or a friend, it's important to recognize signals of mental illness. Each illness has its own symptoms, and picking up on signals may not always be easy, but making yourself aware of possible symptoms makes a difference.
2. Don't be afraid to seek help
Getting a diagnosis is the first step and there are many resources one can take advantage of in order to get the aid they need.
3. Break the stigma
There needs to be a conversation about mental health and no one should feel like they need to keep it to themselves.
4. Educate yourself
Online resources are great tools to utilize when learning about mental health. This can range from websites such as nami.org or activeminds.org, or even YouTube videos that discuss mental health. For example, Zoella and The Gabbie Show are just two YouTubers who have discussed mental health issues and shared their own stories.
5. Get Involved
Join the movement, donate to these organizations, share you story. Talking action and raising awareness about mental health is important and anything you do to contribute helps continue the conversation.
