Mental Health Awareness Month

by Sioux Sternath

May is Mental Health awareness month, meant to raise awareness of trauma and the impact it can have on the physical, and mental well-being of children, families, and communities. Although we have slowly steered away from labeling people crazy or retarded, many still find the stigma associated with mental illness to be taboo. Yet most of us either have relatives or friends that suffer from some form of mental health, whether we may be aware or not. Because of this shift in awareness, there are now a variety of avenues that people can go down to support themselves and others, this could be through crisis response software and intervention programs for law enforcement, to psychological therapy sessions for individuals. There is more of a range.

There are many non-profit organizations united to fight in the war against mental illness from various directions. The American Psychiatric Association is the leading psychiatric organization in the world with members in more than 100 countries. Their mission is to promote universal and equitable access to the highest quality care for all people affected by mental health disorders; promote psychiatric education and research; advance and represent the profession of psychiatry; and serve the professional needs of its membership. https://www.psychiatry.org/news-room/apa-blogs/mental-health-awareness-month.

Mental Health America (MHA) is one of the countries community-based organizations dedicated to supporting people with mental illness and promoting mental health nationally. Though political advocacy at the state, local, and federal levels, MHA is helping enact legislation that prioritizes mental health.

As stated by  Schroader Stribling President and CEO of “Mental Health America” (MHA); https://mhanational.org/sites/default/files/MHM%202022%20-%20Foreword%20and%20Introduction.pdf, “Creating a world where everyone can get the mental health care they need and where everyone can thrive is imperative – and within our reach. From the ongoing pandemic to the continuing injustices of racism, sexism, homophobia, transphobia, and other forms of systemic oppression, it can be hard to get through the day without something in the news cycle feeling really difficult. And of course, what some people read about in the news, other people experience in real life. We know that around half of all people in the U.S. will meet the criteria for a diagnosable mental health condition at some point in their lives. We also know that communities who are targeted by racism, homophobia, transphobia, sexism, and other forms of systemic oppression and violence can face an even heavier mental health burden because of these harms.”

The National Alliance for Mental Health (NAMI) is the largest mental health organization in the United States. They promote programs that educate, support and advocate for people experiencing mental illness. Their 24/7 crisis helplines are dedicated to suicide prevention, as well as support for victims of domestic violence and sexual assault, and they also promote public policy that supports mental health through legislation. https://www.nami.org/Get-Involved/Awareness-Events/Mental-Health-Awareness-Month

Trans Lifeline’s mission is to end transgender suicide and improve overall mental health of transgender people through education, advocacy, and direct service. They connect trans people to the community support and resources needed to survive and thrive. Transgender people are at a significantly higher risk for attempting suicide and other mental health issues. Support is available 24/7 at;  https://translifeline.org/hotline/ or you can reach them at their website; https://translifeline.org/