When Is National Mental Health Awareness Month?

May is Mental Health Awareness Month, a time to highlight the importance of taking care of your mental wellness. It’s also a great time to share valuable resources and learn where you can get mental health care and support.

Mental Health Awareness Month (also known as Mental Health Month), was started in 1949 by Mental Health America, a nonprofit organization that seeks to improve mental health and well-being across the country. 

Each year the organization chooses a different theme. The theme for 2024 is “Where to start: Mental health in a changing world.” The focus of this year is on coping with personal and societal changes that we all face, like pressures at work, concerns about climate change, and shifting national politics. 

Why is mental health awareness important?

Mental health awareness is important for every person, at every age. After all, your mental health is a key part of your overall health and wellness — just like your heart health, your gut health, or your sexual health. 

When mental health problems go untreated, it can have a major impact on you, your loved ones, and even your community. Along with many other factors, in some cases untreated mental illness may also be linked to higher rates of incarceration, housing and employment challenges, substance use, and suicide. And mental illnesses can even affect your physical health, too.

Unfortunately, according to a report by Mental Health America, more than half of adults with a mental health condition don’t get treatment. There are many barriers to treatment, including not having health insurance, mental health stigma, and lack of available providers in one’s area. Health disparities among different groups of people also play a major role. 

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How common are mental illnesses?

Mental health conditions are very common. More than 57 million adults in the U.S. live with a mental illness, which is nearly a quarter of the population. Included in that is almost 6% of adults who experience a serious mental illness. And about 1 in 6 young people ages 6 to 17 experience mental health issues as well. 

Anxiety disorders are the most common types of mental health conditions, affecting more than 1 in 6 adults. Other common mental health conditions include:

• Major depressive disorder

• Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)

• Bipolar disorder

• Substance use disorder

• Personality disorders

• Schizophrenia 

• Eating disorders

How can I prioritize my mental health?

As an individual, there are steps that you can take to make your mental health a priority. Just like you take care of your physical health, it’s great to keep an eye on your mental health as well. Here are some ideas to keep in mind. 

Practice self-care

Self-care means regularly taking time to do things that support your physical and mental health. Making time for self-care can help you manage your emotions and reduce the effects of stress. While self-care might not cure a mental health condition, it can help you cope with the symptoms of depression, anxiety, and more. 

There are many different ways to practice self-care. At the basic level, it’s important to:

• Eat nutritious foods

• Drink enough water

• Move your body regularly, whether it be by exercising, walking, dancing, gardening, or anything else you enjoy

• Get enough good-quality sleep each night

• Limit your use of alcohol and nicotine products

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Additionally, self-care can mean doing activities or practices that make you feel good. This might be different for different people. Examples include:

• Making a gratitude list

• Meditating

• Journaling

• Spending time in nature

• Speaking with a loved one

• Watching a movie you like

• Reading a book

• Practicing self-compassion by treating yourself with kindness

• Giving yourself the occasional “mental health day” to rest or do something fun 

Recognize the early warning signs of mental illness

Recognizing the early signs of mental illness is important because it can help you get the treatment you need, as soon as possible. Early treatment can lead to better outcomes, less severe symptoms, and less disruption in your daily life. 

It can be hard to know when you’re dealing with a mental health condition, especially since each condition has a unique set of symptoms. But many do share similar signs, especially those that get in the way of your day-to-day life. Common early warning signs include:

• Having a hard time at school, work, or at home

• Feeling sad or anxious a lot of the time

• Having trouble thinking, concentrating, or learning

• Noticing big mood shifts, from lows to highs

• Avoiding friends, family, or social commitments

• Sleeping or eating more or less than usual

• Using substances, like drugs and alcohol, more often than usual

• Thinking about suicide or killing yourself

In children, it might be less obvious that they’re struggling with their mental health. If you’re a parent, look for behaviors such as:

• Changes in school performance

• Refusing to go to school

• Hyperactivity

• Frequent nightmares

• Aggressive behavior

• Emotional outbursts

Get a mental health screening

A mental health screening is a series of questions that can help you, or your healthcare professional, understand whether or not you might have a mental health condition. 

You can find many mental health screening tools online. Here are some options: 

• Mental Health America offers self-assessment screenings for a wide variety of conditions, including depression, anxiety, substance use disorders, PTSD, bipolar disorder, and more. It also has a youth test for those under 18 years of age, and a parent test you can use to screen your child.

• You can take the Veterans Affairs (VA) screening for PTSD — regardless of whether or not you served in the military. 

• You can also measure your understanding of mental health with the CDC’s short quiz on myths and facts about mental health.

Be aware: Screening tools don’t provide a diagnosis. But they can help you compare your experiences to common mental health symptoms. You can then take the results to your healthcare professional or a mental health professional, who can discuss your results further, diagnose you if appropriate, and talk to you about your treatment options. 

Where can you find mental health care?

When it comes to getting mental health care, it can be hard to know where to start. 

A great first step is to reach out to your primary care doctor. They can help you figure out what’s going on, and in some cases, they may be able to get you started on the right treatment. Your doctor’s office can also screen you for other health problems that could be causing your symptoms. And finally, they can refer you to a therapist or other mental health specialist if needed. 

Here are some other good options for finding mental health care:

• Check with your insurance provider. They can tell you what services are covered under your plan. You can also search their provider directory to find a healthcare professional or therapist that accepts your insurance.

• Ask friends or family for recommendations for therapists and other mental health resources that have helped them.

• Use an online directory like Psychology Today or Therapy Den to search for mental health providers in your area.

• Search provider directories that are specific to you, such as Clinicians of Color or the National Queer and Trans Therapists of Color Network 

• Visit the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) to locate providers and treatment options in your area. You can also call SAMHSA’s National Helpline at 1-800-662-HELP (4357).

• Check out Mental Health America’s list of organizations that offer peer support groups. 

• Use GoodRx Care to find an online doctor, or get a medication refill. 

If you don’t have health insurance, you can also consider: 

• Looking for a healthcare professional or therapist who offers a sliding scale fee or reduced rate. This means you pay a lower rate based on your income, or based on what you and your therapist agree is appropriate. 

• Reaching out to Open Path Psychotherapy Collective. This is a membership service that gives you access to therapists who offer reduced fees ranging from $40 to $70 per session. 

• Using the Department of Health and Human Services website to locate federally funded health clinics that offer low-cost services near you. 

• Searching the Mental Health America or the National Association or Free and Charitable Clinics directories to learn about affordable mental health services in your community. 

• Looking for a training clinic or specialty mental health clinic in your area. These clinics may offer reduced rates for certain groups of people. 

Additional mental health resources

Many organizations provide mental health education, information, and support. A few places to turn for more information include:

• Mental Health America

• National Institute of Mental Health

• National Alliance on Mental Illness

• Child Mind Institute

• BIPOC mental health resources

Mental Health America’s Tools 2 Thrive initiative focuses on providing practical tools to support your mental health and build resilience in the face of challenges. Some of the tools offered include:

• Find a community where you can get social and emotional support. 

• Learn ways to adapt after you experience a traumatic or really difficult event.

• Learn new skills for managing situations that make you feel angry or frustrated.

• Take care of yourself by meeting your basic needs — like nutrition and sleep — and participating in healthy activities that you enjoy.

 For immediate assistance or to speak with a crisis counselor, contact these hotlines:

• 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline: Call or text 988

• Crisis Text Line: Text “HOME” to 741-741.

• Veterans Crisis Line: Call 988, then press 1 or text 838255

• The Trevor Project (support for members of the LGBTQ+ community): Call 1-866-488-7386 or text 678-678

Why trust our experts?

Written by:

Emily Guarnotta, PsyD

Emily Guarnotta, PsyD, is a licensed clinical psychologist and certified perinatal mental health professional with over 10 years of clinical experience.

Edited by:

Renée Fabian, MA

Renée Fabian is the senior pet health editor at GoodRx. She’s worked for nearly 10 years as a journalist and editor across a wide range of health and well-being topics.

Reviewed by:

India B. Gomez, PhD

India B. Gomez, PhD, is a licensed clinical psychologist with a certificate in Latin American Family Therapy. She completed her doctoral education at the California School of Professional Psychology/Alliant International University.

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