National Suicide Prevention and Awareness Month

September is National Suicide Prevention and Awareness Month

September is National Suicide Prevention and Awareness Month. With what the world has been experiencing, mental health may take a backseat. That would be a mistake, mental health is just as important as physical health. With traumatizing experiences needing professional help is not weakness. 

Mental health America has observed Mental Health Month since 1949 in the United States. Its main purpose is to raise awareness and to educate the public about mental health. It also aims to bring attention to suicide, which many mental illnesses which is a  Today, 1 in 5 Americans is living with some type of mental illness. May is focused on the general mental awareness and general education.

The focus for May 2020 is "You Are Not Alone." This campaigns purpose is to communicate that people are affected by mental illness. It serves as a way to fight the stigma and  that remains around mental health.

Due to the global pandemic caused by Covid-19, we are living under social distancing, quarantine, lockdowns, shelter-in-place orders and others. Having a safe space to speak up and share is more important than before because physical distancing can be hard on people with mental illnesses. Having a virtual and socially safe distance community is paramount. 

The #YouAreNotAlone campaign is focused on bringing a community together to create a socially safe environment for people to share their stories. NAMI's webpage states, "Now more than ever, we need to find ways to stay connected with our community. No one should feel alone or without the information, support and help they need." If you are interested in learning more, checkout the NAMI webpage.