May is Mental Health Awareness Month, also referred to as Mental Health Month, a time to raise awareness about mental or behavioral health issues, advocate for prevention services, provide resources to assist those in need and help reduce the misperceptions of and stigma around mental health conditions that many people face.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), in the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic, the global prevalence of anxiety and depression increased by 25%—and it has continued to climb. If you or someone you know needs support, consider the resources below.

Statistics to consider [Source: *Pew Research Center, Mental Health America (MHA) 2022 Report - Download the full report.

• In 2019, just prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, 19.86% of adults experienced a mental illness, equivalent to nearly 50 million Americans. 

• *One year into the coronavirus pandemic, about a fifth of U.S. adults (21%) were experiencing high levels of psychological distress.

• The percentage of adults with a mental illness who report unmet need for treatment has increased every year since 2011.

• Over 60% of youth with major depression do not receive any mental health treatment.

• Over 2.5 million youth in the U.S. have severe depression, and multiracial youth are at greatest risk.

• Over half of adults with a mental illness do not receive treatment, totaling over 27 million adults in the U.S. who are going untreated.

• Mental Health in North Carolina - Fact Sheet (NAMI)

Resources and Support

• My Mental Health. Do I Need Help?

• North Carolina Employee Assistance Program (NC EAP) - a state-sponsored benefit program that offers support and resources needed to address personal or work-related challenges and concerns—confidential and free for employees and members of their household. 

• On the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) webpage find NIMH’s brochures and factsheets, which can also be ordered for free in bulk though the NIMH Information Center

• For shareable social media graphics and videos to share in your community or family, visit NIMH’s digital sharables portal.

• Check out NIMH’s Caring for Your Mental Health webpage

• Additionally, NIMH will be sending out a special Mental Health Month Discover NIMH issue in May. To receive a copy, subscribe to the newsletter.

Videos

• 10 Common Warning Signs of a Mental Health Condition

• Quick Ways to Manage Your Stress: Relax Yourself 

• Guided Visualization: Dealing with Stress 

• NIMH Expert Discusses Managing Stress and Anxiety (ASL interpreter) 

Did you know…

Mental Health Awareness Month began in the United States in 1949 and was started by the Mental Health America (MHA) organization (then known as the National Association for Mental Health)