May is Mental Health Awareness month – what we consider to be the most important month of the year! It’s the time for us to raise awareness for mental illness and mental health needs nationwide. Iris Telehealth was founded with the goal of bringing quality mental health services to rural and underserved areas throughout the United States, so of course it’s important to us to raise awareness this month.
We’ve worked hard the past few years and we want to keep it going. But now is the time for you to speak out about the importance of mental health. Lucky for you, we have some ways you can do that:
- Post about your experiences with mental illness using the hashtag #riskybusiness, which Mental Health America has dubbed as the official hashtag for this year’s Mental Health Awareness Month. Share your story and raise awareness for the importance of mental health.
- Organize or participate in an Out of the Darkness Walk in your area. These walks raise money and awareness for suicide prevention. If the walk in your area isn’t until later in the year, sign up now and start your fundraising efforts!
- Have a movie night with friends and watch a movie or TV series that you think starts a good conversation about the importance of mental health.
- Check up on your mental health by taking a free and anonymous screening. Encourage friends and family to do so as well!
- Go on a coffee date with five people you don’t normally hang out with and pay for their drink. Sometimes a random act of kindness is all somebody needs to make their day a million times better – and while you’re catching up, mention to them that it’s your favorite month of the year.
- Treat yourself! Sometimes, when it comes to mental health, all you need to do to reduce stress and anxiety is relax. Let yourself take a bath or spend 30 minutes coloring or go play with puppies somewhere. Find whatever it is that makes you happy and spend some time doing it because you deserve it!
There are a lot of different ways to celebrate Mental Health Awareness Month, and we’ve provided you with just a few options. Whatever you do, remember the importance of raising awareness for mental illness and ending the stigma surrounding it. Together, we can all be part of the solution.
