May is Mental Health Awareness Month, a time dedicated to fighting stigma, raising awareness and providing support to those who struggle with their mental health. Although mental health awareness has had a surge of support in recent years, Mental Health Awareness Month has been observed in the U.S. since 1949, making this year the 75th anniversary.
This year, Scentsy is acknowledging the importance of the movement with a collection dedicated to self-care — featuring soothing fragrances, Body products and a weighted Scentsy Buddy — and gentle reminders to treat yourself (and others) with love and compassion. A portion from the sale of each of these products will be donated to nonprofits focused on mental health awareness and support.
Why awareness matters
It’s simple — mental health is for everyone. According to experts, one in five U.S. adults experience mental illness each year, but only half of them receive treatment. From friends and family members to coworkers or even people we meet in passing, we never know who might be struggling with their mental health. The No. 1 reason many people avoid or delay seeking treatment is the stigma: fear of judgment, fear of being misunderstood or fear of the negative consequences that could come from sharing their struggle. Those who are battling mental illness need acceptance and support.
Many have dedicated themselves to raising awareness for years, and not just for Mental Health Awareness Month. Organizations across the globe fight to normalize conversations about mental health in our personal lives and cultures every day, with the goal of creating supportive communities for anyone struggling with their mental health. Advocacy groups such as the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) and Mental Health America (MHA) work tirelessly here in the U.S. to spread this message of acceptance and have tons of great resources that we’ll discuss throughout this article. Internationally, the World Federation for Mental Health (WFMH) works to make a difference everywhere, inspiring productive mental health conversations around the globe by organizing yearly events like World Mental Health Day.
“What can I do?”
Whether we’re driven by our compassion for friends and family members or advocating for ourselves, there’s something all of us can do to support each other and spread awareness this month:
- Green is the color of mental health awareness, so finding ways to incorporate it into your routine in May can be a simple way to show your support. Try this simple green pin from MHA, wear green while volunteering, or go big by lighting up your home or office building with green lights.
- Find a local organization that’s hosting a Mental Health Awareness Month event and reach out about volunteer work.
- Join a NAMIWalk and raise funds that will support advocacy, education and public awareness through NAMI. These walks are held throughout the year, across the country, so you can participate any time.
- Follow these links to the MHA and NAMI websites to see how you can help these organizations through donations and events.
- Encourage leaders in your workplace or local community to host a mental health workshop dedicated to informing people of available resources and educating everyone about the importance of mental health awareness.
- Purchase products from Scentsy’s Mental Health Awareness Collection and vote for your preferred mental health nonprofit to receive a donation from the Scentsy Family Foundation. These votes can even go to organizations in your local community which could have a substantial impact where you live!
Looking for more ways to make a difference? NAMI has a list of nine ways all of us can use to fight the mental health stigma which you can find here.
Let’s take care of each other
Out of all the people in your life, maybe the one struggling the most is you. While Scentsy fragrances and cuddly plush can bring lots of joy, they aren’t replacements for mental health treatment, and we aren’t mental health experts. If you or someone you know is struggling, find a local mental health expert, or dial or text 988 for free, 24/7 support from the national helpline. The MHA’s Where to Start toolkit also provides coping tools to help people work through negative emotions, communicate their feelings, deal with tough situations and find the good in life.
It’s OK to feel your feelings. Let’s fight the stigma. 💚
