Mental Health Awareness Month has been observed in the United States since 1949 and is a time to raise awareness of those living with mental and/or behavioral health issues and reduce the stigma associated with seeking and receiving mental health services. It also serves as a time to highlight the ways mental illness and addiction can affect all of us.
According to the National Institute of Mental Health nearly one in five Americans lives with a mental health condition. These include any mental, behavioral or emotional disorder such as:
- Anxiety
- Depression
- Eating disorders
- Mood disorders, including bipolar disorder
- Experiencing or witnessing trauma
- Substance-use disorders