While there are effective treatments available, many individuals with known mental health issues never seek help from a professional due to stigma, discrimination, a lack of resources, or a combination of all three and it sucks. Even if you don’t struggle with a mental illness, you still have the opportunity to inspire others to raise awareness and take part in the sharing of information, tools, and support for mental health issues.

1. Share a post on social media

I think this is the most easiest and effortless way to raise mental health awareness. Whether you’re on Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram… I know for a fact you’ve seen at least one post regarding mental health. Humorous, inspirational, and/or sad. You’ve seen at least one right?

You don’t even have to have a mental illness or any mental health problems to share a post. But I can guarantee you that by sharing a post to your feed you will help raise awareness. Someone out there will see that post. It doesn’t matter if no one reacts to it either. All that matters is someone out there sees it. One little post can do a lot.

2. Educate Yourself

I’m not saying you need to know everything under the sun about mental health. But learning the basics could do you some good. Learning about various mental illnesses will not only raise mental health awareness, but it will familiarize you with something a lot of people deal with.

I believe everyone should understand what mental health really is. I say this because mental health includes our psychological, emotional, and social well-being. With that being said, it’s good to understand how it affects our thought processes, what we feel, and how we act.

3. Educate the little ones

Children today are taught to clean their rooms and brush their teeth. At school, they are taught to read and write. But a lot of children today aren’t formally taught how to take care of their mental health. Some don’t even know what mental health is.

Over 2 million children in the US have been diagnosed with anxiety and depression, and more and more children in the US struggle with some kind of mental health issue. When disregarded, these disorders persist into adulthood, having significant impacts on overall health and relationships.

If a child falls and cuts their knee, they are taught and shown how to take care of their wound. But what if a child experiences a traumatic event in their life and fails to properly heal from it? What are they taught, then?

Mental health is important at every stage of life.

4. Open up about your experience

There are a lot of people who don’t speak about their mental health problems. Could you possibly be one of them? If so, that’s okay. But let me explain why opening up helps raise awareness for mental health.

When you share your story with someone, you are giving that person the chance to relate to it. So many people today are living with a mental illness but don’t speak about it because of society. Sharing your experience could simply help someone gain the courage to speak on theirs. See where I’m going here?

It’s kind of like my blog and I. I used to keep my anxiety disorder and depression hidden in the dark. In the community I grew up in, mental health was marked invalid so I was afraid to speak on it. Not really sure why because if I am being honest, we are all pretty messed up in our own ways. And that’s what makes us beautiful and unique in our own way. But look at me now. I share my story and help others all around the world.

Spread the message

Mental health affects nearly everyone — whether or not they are personally living with a mental health condition, care about someone who does, or just wants to get more involved — and there are many ways you can help.

Share this post to help raise mental health awareness.