Mental Health Awareness Month 2021

#MentalHealth4All

This May for Mental Health Awareness Month, we’re sending the message that no one’s mental health is fully supported until everyone’s mental health is fully supported. That’s why for our #MentalHealth4All campaign, we’re encouraging everyone to get involved by taking one simple action to encourage their friends, family, and community to take their own and others’ mental health seriously.

Your one #MentalHealth4All action could be as simple as reaching out to someone in your life to see how they’re doing; starting a conversation with someone close to you about a topic you have difficult feelings about; or letting your group of friends know you’re comfortable talking to them about anything they’re going through. You can support #MentalHealth4All by advocating for legislation that addresses the disparity in mental healthcare access for underrepresented communities; joining a walk; bringing suicide prevention education, research or support programs to your school or workplace to ensure that more people around you know that mental health is a vital part of everyone’s life; or spreading the word about your local AFSP chapter to ensure that every member of your community has the support they and their loved ones need during a difficult time.

Everyone has different experiences with their own mental health, and their own preferred methods of care and support. It’s important that we all remain open and ready to listen to others’ points of view and perspectives, especially during this challenging time in our history. We all have mental health, and by taking one simple action, we can each help influence massive collective change to support #MentalHealth4All.

What You Can Do to Help?

For Yourself

• Open up to someone close to you about something that you’ve been coping with
• Identify three simple self-care activities that work for you, like exercising, meditating, or journaling
• Schedule a check-up to talk to a doctor about your mental health, as well as your physical health
• Add crisis resource numbers to your phone and encourage a loved one to do the same

For the People in Your Life

• Let people in your life know you’re a safe person to talk to about mental health, and actively listen and engage when someone comes to you for help
• Connect people in your life who have shared interests, such as music, gaming, sports, art and more!

For Your Community

• Advocate for mental health policies that ensure that everyone in your community has access to mental health care, suicide prevention training, and funding for local crisis resources
• Get involved with your local AFSP chapter, or join an Out of the Darkness Walk, and help transform your community into one that’s smart about mental health, where everyone has support when they need it
• Bring an AFSP mental health education, research or support program to your school, workplace, or community center

Want to learn more?

If you need Immediate help:

National Suicide Prevention Lifeline – 1‑800‑273‑TALK (8255) or Live Online Chat

Trained crisis workers are available to talk 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Your confidential and toll-free call goes to the nearest crisis center in the Lifeline national network. These centers provide crisis counseling and mental health referrals.

SAMHSA National Helpline – 1‑800‑662-HELP (1‑800‑662‑4357)

A confidential, free, 24-hour-a-day, 365-day-a-year, information service, in English and Spanish, for individuals and family members facing mental health and/or substance use disorders. This service provides referrals to local treatment facilities, support groups, and community-based organizations. Callers can also order free publications and other information.

Depression Resources

• National Alliance on Mental Illness
• Depression Bipolar Support Alliance
• MentalHealth.gov
• American Foundation for Suicide Prevention
• WebMD Depression Health Center