May is Mental Health Awareness Month. While mental health is important to address year-round, Mental Health Awareness Month provides a dedicated time for people, organizations, and communities to collectively bring their voices together and amplify the message help is available.
Our overall health is knowingly affected by our surrounding environments: where we are born, live, learn, work, play, and meet all influence our health. While we often think of these environmental factors called the “social determinants of health” as relating mainly to our physical health, it’s important to consider the effect our environment has on our mental health and well-being. This opens the door to consider education, economic stability, social connections, neighborhood, community structure, and access to care within DuPage County. There are many factors that contribute to mental wellbeing, and we can all benefit from stable environments, strong communities, and ready access to needed services. During Mental Health Awareness Month, this observance recognizes the role mental health plays in our overall well-being and the value in raising awareness and helping those in need of receiving treatment. Mental Health Awareness Month was created to educate the public about mental illness, raise awareness surrounding mental health services, and reduce the stigma associated with mental illness.
More Resources
To learn more and find more resources near you, visit:
Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration: https://www.samhsa.gov/
National Alliance on Mental Illness DuPage: https://namidupage.org/
American Psychological Association: https://www.apa.org/
HOPE DuPage: https://www.hopedupage.org/
Prevention Leadership Team: https://www.dupageplt.org/
Impact DuPage: https://www.impactdupage.org/