May: Mental Health Awareness Month

Each May, we come together to observe Mental Health Awareness Month—a time to reflect, connect, and speak openly about something that affects us all: mental health.

Whether you're managing anxiety, supporting a loved one with depression, or just navigating the everyday stressors of modern life, mental health is a part of your story. And yet, for far too long, the topic has been treated as taboo—something to whisper about or carry in silence.

But silence doesn’t heal. Awareness does.

From Dr. Jennifer Blacksmith, Licensed Physiologist at Northeast Behavioral Health:

Mental health looks different in childhood through adulthood, but getting support at a younger age will help reduce risk factors in the long term. As a licensed psychologist, I provide psychological testing, counseling, and trainings, which is different from a psychiatrist. Psychiatrists prescribe and manage medication. There are also licensed social workers, licensed professional counselors, and licensed mental health counselors who provide counseling services.

From the National Council of Mental Wellbeing:

Despite progress in mental health initiatives, more than 30 million people in the U.S. still lack access to comprehensive, high-quality care. These statistics highlight the ongoing need for Mental Health Awareness Month and the importance of bringing attention to this disparity:

1 in 5 U.S. adults experience mental illness each year.
1 in 20 U.S. adults experience serious mental illness each year.
1 in 6 U.S. youth have a mental health condition, but only half receive treatment.
50% of all lifetime mental illness begins by age 14, and 75% by age 24.
In 2022, 22% of high school students seriously considered suicide in the past year.