Uncovering the Importance of Mental Health Awareness: A Vital Perspective

Abstract

Mental health is usually inclusive of one's emotional, psychological, and social well-being. Mental health, in most cases, affects how people think, feel and act. Unfortunately, mental health does take a negative toll on the sick and the immediate family members, and it is for this reason why the month of May was dedicated as the mental health month. Mental health is significant in everybody's life stage, from as early as childhood, to adolescence to adulthood. Therefore, it is for these reasons that The National Institute of Mental Health has a mantra that “No health without mental health” (Cratsley and Mackey, 2018). There have been stigmas on the people with mental health whereby one in every five people have experienced mental health illness during their lifetime. Due to this stigma, millions of people worldwide do not receive the needed help, and usually, mental health issues are overlooked. In this respect, mental illness affects everyone regardless of race, gender, culture, age, ethnicity, or sexual orientation (Schiavo, 2018). It was interesting to learn that May is the health month. It is mental health month, women's Health month, Arthritis Awareness Month, Hepatitis Awareness Month, Lupus Awareness Month, National Physical Fitness, and many more like the National Mediterranean Diet Month. With this in mind, the month of May is active because the public becomes overwhelmed with information about awareness events. Above all, mental health supersedes all in that mental health is usually ignored, especially in young children, adolescents, and adults. Some of these signs are mistaken for irresponsibility, attention-seeking maneuvers, and in most cases, the signs are wished away. In this particular month of May, one learns that one in four American adults live with a mental condition that has been diagnosed and has been declared treatable. With this kind of knowledge, it is always easy to motivate people and reach out to those who may be in dire need of help. The knowledge of mental health disorders makes one aware that these disorders are the most probable cause...