Mental health is a huge issue in the United States and there are shocking statistics to prove it. When we consider the fact that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that 1 in 5 adults experience at least one mental health condition every year, it’s hard to deny that we need to be making mental health awareness and mental health care more of a priority.

Unfortunately, there also tends to be a significant stigma attached to anything related to mental health or a person’s mental well being, which is why it’s so essential that we acknowledge good mental health efforts and work to overcome the barriers that have been put up that keep us from addressing mental health in a positive, productive way. You should regularly grant yourself the permission to tune in to yourself and consider your overall mental health so you can best address your mental health care needs.

Mental health awareness might be one of the most pressing issues we’re currently facing in the healthcare industry as a whole, which is why there’s a national movement to celebrate the importance of mental health every May: Mental Health Awareness Month. Fighting the stigma, providing support and resources to struggling individuals and their loved ones, and advocating for policy changes are all integral parts of mental health awareness month.

Why is Mental Health Important?

Positive mental health is crucial in today’s world, as it profoundly influences every aspect of our lives. Mental health can impact our thoughts, actions, and interactions. It empowers us to navigate challenges, build meaningful relationships, and make informed decisions.

Reasons to care for mental health

Maintaining a positive mental health and treating any poor mental health conditions is crucial to stabilizing constructive behaviors, emotions, and thoughts. Focusing on mental health care can increase productivity, enhance our self-image, and improve relationships.

Nurturing mental health doesn’t just improve our daily functioning, but it can also help us control — or at least combat — some of the physical health problems directly linked to mental health conditions. For example, heart disease and stress are related, so managing stress might have a positive outcome on heart disease and promote a healthy lifestyle.

Other benefits of taking care of our mental health can include:

• Improving our mood
• Reducing our anxiety
• Creating an enhanced sense of inner peace
• Thinking more clearly
• Improving our relationships
• Increasing our self-esteem

“Our mental health is something that impacts our eating and sleeping habits and has a lot to do with our physical health as well. It is important to address our mental health needs, or oftentimes we will feel the impact of it in other areas of our health as well.”

Beyond everything else we’ve already discussed, being mentally healthy can significantly impact our psychological, emotional, and social well-being. It directly affects our mental well-being and how we feel and act on a daily basis. Mental health is a major factor in a healthy lifestyle when we make difficult choices, deal with stress, and relate to other people in our world.

Yet, mental health isn’t just something we can deal with once and then get over. It’s important in every stage of our life. From infancy all the way into adulthood — mental health is something we need to be cognizant of and handle with care.

Having a solid foundation when it comes to mental health means you can:

• Have productive, healthy relationships
• Cope with daily stress in life
• Establish a positive sense of self
• Stay motivated and physically active, and healthy
• Be more productive at work and school
• Make meaningful connections and contributions to the community
• Realize and work towards achieving your full potential

Why Should We Spread Mental Health Awareness?

By making a concerted effort to spread mental health awareness, we can work to de-stigmatize how we think about, approach, and identify mental health issues in our society. 

Having those tough conversations and admitting there’s a problem means we can come up with a solution. We can start removing the shame and fear that are often associated with topics surrounding poor mental health. Doing so can increase the likelihood of someone reaching out when they need help.

Asking for help is a sign of strength. Working together allows us to begin building a foundation that respects and honors the importance of good mental health.

Another benefit to focusing on mental health awareness is that it can make signs and symptoms of certain conditions more well-known. Early intervention is predictive of how successful mental health treatment will be for many conditions. The earlier someone is diagnosed and begins treatment, the more likely it is that they’ll be able to manage their condition and improve their mental health.