When is Mental Health Awareness Month? It’s now, in May! Mental health awareness is a busy hashtag on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and other social media platforms, but it shouldn’t only be popular in May but always. Don’t you agree?
Hey, Why Only in May?
Nowadays, I see articles pop up everywhere that stress how mental health should be taken more seriously since we all went through the covid lockdown, but shouldn’t we have done so before covid? Mental health issues are nothing new, and for years people have suffered through them, often finding themselves alone among many, obtaining no understanding from the ones closest to them.
Yes, mental health awareness month is in May, but that awareness should always be there. Thanks to covid, more people have been exposed to depression or other mental health issues. Depression was that obscure thing that used to belong to that guy or that girl you know, your friend’s neighbor, or some other acquaintance who “needed to get his act together and just deal with it!”
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Curb That Tough Love
Now it has affected you directly, or your spouse, or your child, due to the constant confinement. Now, we’re beginning to see that mental health issues are not just something you “should get over”. Right?
Although mental health issues rose due to the lockdowns, I guess that covid did us some good in making us more aware of mental health, forcing us to understand that this is serious and must be taken seriously.
Thanks to the covid lockdown more people now understand that anyone who goes through depression, anxiety, burnout, or any other problem needs help, What is certainly NOT needed is the tough love such as “we all got sh*t to deal with”, “you’re not the only one with problems, you know!”
When someone is going through depression, vent that tough love somewhere else, because it does more harm than good. Tough love is good for people who can handle it, but if you’re having mental health problems, tough love is just a missile that widens the wound.
So, Mental Health Awareness Should be in …?
Every month. Although it’s certainly great that May is the month to spread more awareness, one of the main reasons why people still struggle to get support or understanding from loved ones or friends, and why awareness still needs to be spread is the stigma that goes associated with mental health issues. Society placed a label on it decades ago, and it’s been hard to rip that label off.
It’s that tag, though, that makes it difficult for anyone who is going through depression, burnout, anxiety, or any other issues to get some understanding from the ones near him or her.
Related: It Doesn’t Take Much for you to Care
Someone who is going through depression, who is bipolar, or who can’t control his/her emotions or anger during burnout is NOT crazy or being “unreasonable”. Believe me, they don’t want to cause you annoyance or anger or what-have-you, but it isn’t always something one can control.
Anyone who suffers through a mental health issue or illness needs help and exactly because of the stigma and the lack of understanding it’s usually up to them alone to get that help, and that doesn’t always happen, does it?
Final Thoughts
I can only speak for my own experience when I had burnout, Not one of the many people I know in my area offered support. On the contrary, I got the tough love thrown at me, and several people walked out of my life. I know that this is not an isolated case. It happens to many of us when we go through hard times, be it mental or physical health, or any other extreme situation.
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If you’re going through a difficult time due to mental health issues and you end up losing people because of it, please do not think you have lost. Their departure might make room for new and more caring people. I always say that disease and tough times are a friendship sieve. The ones who matter will remain in your life.
Read More in Burnout, Symptoms and Solutions
Have you lost people due to mental health issues? How did you cope with it? Did it turn out to be a blessing in disguise or do you miss the people who left you during those difficult times?
For years I didnt have mental health problems because ‘I didnt do mental health problems’. I didnt have time for this sort of ‘Lame illnesses’.
Why?
Lack of Education. I certainly dont profess to be unique in the slightest and i think many of us have suffered problems that we didnt know existed. Or we’d shrug them off as being a ‘Surrender’ of some sort.
Nowadays, I like to think that i have an understanding with my own mental health that lets me manage it the way that makes me happiest.
That’s why its so important to have information in articles like these.
Keep up the good work.
Thanks
Kev
Hi Kev,
I think that this applies to many people nowadays. Thank you for your comment!
Have a great day!
Hi Christine,
I don’t know why people tend to ignore mental health and seldom talk about it when they need help. In my family, we never talk about this as if it doesn’t exist. It is such an important well-being factor, and I hope people can search out for support when they need help.
I like what you mentioned here “Disease and tough times are a friendship sieve.” It is so true that we can realize who stands with us no matter what happened. They are the kind of friends that we must cherish for a long time. 🙂
Thanks for sharing tips and useful books.
Matt
Hi Matt,
Yes, we need to talk more about mental health, even with more awareness, it still doesn’t seem enough, right?
Thank you for your comment!
Speaking from personal experience, probably the most alarming thing about generally poor mental health/depression was that I couldn’t accept that I have it. It just seemed like a setback that sucks but never used to shift my attention towards it and treat it as an issue.
When the people around me started looking at me with a concerned face and spilling the truth, that was the breaking point.
I absolutely agree with the fact that mental awareness month should be every month. You should pay attention to your mental well-being every single day and if something doesn’t feel quite right, don’t just shrug it off thinking you’ll get better tomorrow. You might be, sure, but you never know when it escalates so something that gets harder and harder to control.
Hi Julius,
Very true. It is also wonderful that the people around you showed concern, that is always very valued, isn’t it?
Thanks for your comment!
This is a really great article and very applicable. I have recently experienced burnout which took me by surprise. I’m always watching for signs of burnout related to my demanding job but this time it was my new passion that caused it. When I first started my blogging journey, it almost completely consumed me. I got obsessed with it and I was spending every second I had on my blogs and website. Of course, it was just a matter of time that I would experience burnout.
Thank you so much for your post. It is a great reminder to us all to always watch for the signs of burnout, not only in May.
Hi Anna,
We can also experience burnout doing something we love, when we dedicate all our time and energy to it. A few months ago I also came to the point of blogging so much that I felt I needed to slow down a little. Thanks for bringing that up!
Hi Christine, ntmu and thank you for sharing your article. May? I have to be honest and tell you that I have not any idea that May is the month of mental awareness. Thank you for this. You’re perfectly right when you said that I, we don’t need that pitty that piece of disinterest with their stillnesses face like they have issues too so why are you crying and complaining as I can’t help you. I do understand perfectly I’ve been there where I shouldn’t cry shouldn’t suffer in the toilets just step on them. but some people do this for crushing your soul. You are right that mental health awareness shud be every month not just when they want, 1 month per year then everything is perfect. NO.
All I want to say is that you are not alone, and you are not this body.PS. I wish I can give you a hug, and send you one of my article talking ab this.
I must confesses I really your article, please keep going. Many blessings to you&family;, and, be strong Remember WHO you are!
Thank you, Angel.
You too, stay strong 🙂
Have a nice day!
I grew up in a household where mental health was never discussed. Because of that, growing up, I never knew how to deal with it. I lost a lot of people who I called “friends” at my very worst time in life and it really broke me but also made me that much stronger. For every friend I lost, I met a handful of other very caring people that made me realize that I was not crazy nor was I bad person; I was just going through a bad time.
Ironically, there came a time when I began helping other people in my network who were struggling with mental health issues.
I agree with you that this should not just be allocated to one single month. Mental health is a very serious condition and it can make or break people. There should be awareness about this topic every month, all year round.
I was lucky enough to fight through it but there are others that just don’t even know they are struggling as a result of this. Covid makes everything worse than it really is!
Hi Sasha,
It is hard when people first start walking away, but if they do then perhaps they weren’t really friends. I am glad that you found more caring people in your life.
Thank you for your comment!
Christine:
This is a great article. Thank you for sharing your story and experiences. Not many people would be willing to publicly share their challenges with mental health. It’s like you stated, there is a stigma behind discussing or even experiencing mental disorders that shuts down any attempt to discuss or support people who have mental health issues.
We have witnessed over the last year mental health issues exploding across our country with an increase in reported depressions to psychotic breakdowns. And as you point out, the primary cause is isolation and lack of support. It’s a tragedy that friends and loved ones find it difficult to provide the needed support. The stigma surrounded mental health has created a void in our approach to mental health treatment, where we feel the best way to treat mental health is to institutionalized patients and forget about them or fill them full of medications.
Society definitely placed a label on mental health a half-century ago. And it will be through articles, seminars, mental health expos, blogs and courage like yours that will change the perceptions of mental health. Thank you, Christine
Very well said! Thank you for your comment! 🙂
Mental health is really a huge issue. I’ve seen a couple of my friends going through a depression stage and for most of them they show a different side on social media, a more jovial side, as compared to their real self behind closed doors.
I agree with you, mental awareness month should be anytime. With the rest of us being aware, we are all able to better check in with one another.
Thanks for sharing this important topic!
Cheers.
SAM
Hi SAM,
It happens all too often, pretending a happy facade while breaking up inside. We should indeed be able to check in on each other and be honest if things aren’t going too well.
Thanks for your comment!
Hi Christine,
Thanks for shedding light on mental health and May being Mental Awareness month. Nice article!
The reason why too many people often choose to sidestep talking about mental health is because they tend to think of it as mental illness. Mental health and mental illness are not the same. Regular folks sometimes suffer a breakdown in their mental health due to conditons such as stress and burnout which you have discussed well. Paying attention to it and doing things to alleviate the pressure will go a long way to prevent it from deterioriating into illness.
Ceci
Hi Ceci,
That’s very true. Many people confuse mental health with mental illness and consequently place a label on it. Anyone can suffer a breakdown.
Thank you for your comment!
Thank you Christine, definitely COVID has made us pay more attention to the mental health of people which I would say it’s a good thing because it has made people aware that mental health issues exist. I totally agree that every month should be mental health awareness month to create more awareness and have it people’s minds that it isn’t something to play with. People end their lives and i believe these people need to live and not go through much pain because another person thinks mental health issues don’t exist. Let’s try to help anyone with this issue the best way we can and lets avoid ridiculing them. Thank you for this wonderful article.
Hi Femi,
Agreed! Thank you for your comment! 🙂
Hi Christine,
I’ve come across this post at the right time where not only me but everyone is going through a rough time. Mental peace has been a very important thing right now.
I’ve also learnt one thing that even if you are rich or having everything you need but don’t have mental peace then everything that you have is a waste.
You’ve written so well that I read it without getting bored and that’s a good sign of a writer.
Thank you for such a great post I will definitely share this, and I know people would definitely like this as the information is so crisp and on point.
Keep up the great work.
Thanks
Cheers!