Historical & Current Events dictionary

Mental Health Awareness Month

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What is Mental Health Awareness Month?

Mental Health Awareness Month is a month-long observance dedicated to raising awareness about mental health issues and resources to help people maintain and improve their mental health, as well as working to remove the stigmas around mental health conditions.

The month is often observed with educational events and opportunities to receive support and access to mental health resources. An important aspect of Mental Health Awareness Month is an emphasis on encouraging people to focus on the importance of their mental health, such as through proactively scheduling mental health screenings or seeking help for mental health issues they may be experiencing.

🗓 When is Mental Health Awareness Month?

Mental Health Awareness Month is observed each year during the month of May.

Some countries, such as the UK and Australia, observe Mental Health Month in October.

Related words

Autism Awareness Month, Black History Month, Jewish American Heritage Month, Women's History Month, World Health Day, syndemic, Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month, Autism Acceptance Month

Where does Mental Health Awareness Month come from?

Mental Health Awareness Month has been observed in some form since at least 1949. The month is set as an official observance in the US each year through a presidential proclamation.

Examples of Mental Health Awareness Month

May is mental health awareness month. Take care of your self. You're not alone.
@CerromeRussell, May 1, 2021
May is mental health awareness month, remember to take time for yourself this month and remember you are loved, cared for, and valued strongly and widely.
@xr0sesx, May 1, 2021
May is Mental Health Awareness Month, and it's also a worthy reminder that prioritizing your mental health is a 365-day affair. Just as everyone needs to care for their physical health even when they're not physically ill, mental health is something everyone should think about, regardless of whether they experience mental illness.
Emily Hein, Insider, May 3, 2021
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More information and context on Mental Health Awareness Month

Did you know … ?

  • A related event, BIPOC Mental Health Month, is observed in July and is specifically dedicated to raising awareness about and building support around the mental health issues faced by Black people, Indigenous people, and people of color.
  • Like many months devoted to awareness about a particular issue, Mental Health Awareness Month is typically given a theme each year that provides a focus for educational events and outreach, such as “Tools 2 Thrive” (the 2020 and 2021 theme) and “4Mind4Body” (the 2019 theme).

What are other words used in discussion of Mental Health Awareness Month?

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Note

This is not meant to be a formal definition of Mental Health Awareness Month like most terms we define on Dictionary.com, but is rather an informal word summary that hopefully touches upon the key aspects of the meaning and usage of Mental Health Awareness Month that will help our users expand their word mastery.

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