Mental Illness Awareness Week

Elly Llamada
Oct 5, 2021
2 min read

Updated: Mar 11, 2023

The week of October 4th to 10th is Mental Illness Awareness Week (MIAW), which allows us to come together as a community to educate and raise awareness about mental health issues, as well as reflect on the silence and stigma surrounding it.

Mental health advocates and organizations across the world such as Mental Health America unites to focus on spreading information about 7 major mental health issues during Mental Illness Awareness Week, including the following:

Anxiety
Bipolar Disorder
Psychosis
Eating Disorders
Depression
PTSD
Addiction/Substance Use Disorder

Mental Health America will also provide us with action items that we can complete at home to help improve mental health advocacy. You may learn more about Mental Illness Awareness Week, mental health, and action through here.

Meanwhile, to commemorate Mental Illness Awareness Week (MIAW), the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) will be sharing and raising the voices of people with lived experience to talk about mental illnesses and the need for improved crisis response and mental health care each day throughout the week. You may read more of NAMI's information and resources relating to Mental Illness Awareness Week here.

Why is Mental Illness Awareness Week important though?

There are a variety of reasons why it is critical to discuss mental illness. Primarily, the stigma surrounding mental illness can make people feel alienated, stigmatized, or discriminated against, all of which can make recovery more difficult. By openly discussing mental illness, including risk factors, symptoms, and treatments, we can help those who are struggling feel less alone, supported, and empowered to take action. The more people who openly discuss mental illness, the more easily and quickly the stigma will be broken.

A single conversation can start a chain reaction.

As you may well know by now, I am a passionate advocate for mental health and mental illness. I strongly believe that it is important for all of us to talk about mental health and mental illness every day, but dedicating a week to it helps us to speak with one voice. It is therefore my responsibility as an advocate to do extensive research and gather knowledge and/or resources that will benefit not only myself but anyone else who will benefit from my efforts.

I know I am not alone in this. No one is truly alone and no one should be deprived of the knowledge, support, connections, or assistance they require.

Help is available.

Recovery is possible!

IF YOU OR SOMEONE YOU KNOW IS AT IMMEDIATE RISK OF SELF-HARM OR SUICIDE, PLEASE CLICK HERE.

P.S You may bookmark or check my blog regularly for new tips and resources for maintaining your mental health and well-being. Thank you!

References:

“Mental Illness Awareness Week.” Mental Health America, Oct. 2020, www.mhanational.org/mental-illness-awareness-week

“Mental Illness Awareness Week.” NAMI, www.nami.org/get-involved/awareness-events/mental-illness-awareness-week

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