Important Mental Health Awareness Dates to Add to Your Calendar

ResourcesBiasesOppressionDepressionRecovery
Written By Melissa Wesner
 
 

Every year, several organizations — such as the National Alliance of Mental Illness, National Institutes of Health, National Association of Social Work, and more — dedicate time to bring awareness to topics including mental health, substance use, stress management, and more.

Over the course of the year, each organization brings awareness, reduces stigma, offers a variety of shareable resources, and hosts helpful events locally and nationally. If you’re looking to learn more about a particular topic, share helpful resources, and partake in local opportunities, be sure to mark your calendars with these important dates!

January

National Stalking Awareness Month

National Stalking Awareness Month takes place annually in January, and is a call to action for individuals to recognize and respond to crimes regarding stalking, as well as help and support individuals who have been victims of stalking.

If you or someone you know needs support, contact the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-SAFE (7233) or text "START" to 88788. Help is available 24/7.

February

Teen Dating Violence Awareness And Prevention Month

A group of young adults sitting together and smiling at the camera

Each February, awareness is raised about the issue of teen dating violence. Young adults, their loved ones, and supporters focus on advocacy, education, and raising awareness to help stop teen dating violence before it even begins. “1 in 3 U.S. teens will experience physical, sexual, or emotional abuse from someone they’re in a relationship with before they become adults” (Love is Respect, 2022).

If you or someone you know needs support, contact the National Dating Abuse Helpline at 1-866-331-9474. Help is available 24/7.

National Eating Disorders Awareness Week

Every year, National Eating Disorders Awareness Week is recognized during the final week of February. The National Eating Disorder Association (n.d.) states that “national surveys estimate that 20 million women and 10 million men in America will have an eating disorder at some point in their lives.” In the US, “eating disorders are the second most fatal mental illness,” and the National Eating Disorder Association focuses on “encouraging people to engage in advocacy and raise awareness of eating disorders” within their communities (Sarkhel, 2022).

If you have an eating disorder or think you’re displaying signs of an eating disorder, please call or text the National Eating Disorders Association Hotline at 1-800-931-2237. NEDA also provides a free screening tool: https://www.nationaleatingdisorders.org/screening-tool.

March

Social Work Month

Every year, the National Association of Social Workers (n.d.) celebrates “the great profession of social work,” all month long.

World Bipolar Day (3/30)

Every year on March 30th, World Bipolar Day assists in raising awareness and decreasing stigma of bipolar disorder —“an estimated 4.4% of U.S. adults experience bipolar disorder at some time in their lives” (National Institute of Mental Health, n.d.). World Bipolar Day aims to “inspire a global shift” to decrease and, hopefully, “eliminate social stigma and promote acceptance (ISBC, n.d.).

April

Sexual Assault Awareness Month

This month-long event raises awareness for and, helps prevent, sexual assault, as well as supports survivors who have encountered sexual assault both in-person and online. The National Sexual Violence Resource Center (2022) highlights that “sexual harrassment, assault, and abuse can happen anywhere, including in online spaces.”

If you or someone you know needs support, please contact the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-656-HOPE, available 24/7.

National Counseling Awareness Month

Throughout April, we honor and highlight the work that those in the field of counseling do. All month, we focus on raising awareness about counseling services, and share the many ways that counseling can help individuals. The American Counseling Association (n.d.) considers this month “a time of advocacy for the profession and celebration of the outstanding efforts of counselors in myriad settings as they seek to facilitate the growth and development of all people.”

A brown woman wearing a hijab and a denim jacket sitting on a flowery hillside

Stress Awareness Month

#StressAwareness #StressAwarenessMonth 

This month, we bring awareness of the impact of stress on our mental, physical, and emotional wellness. The National Institute of Health (n.d.) believes that it’s “critical to recognize what stress and anxiety look like,” and “take steps to build resilience and manage job stress, and know where to go for help.” For more information on stress and how it affects our overall wellness, read our featured blog: Stress: Effects on Your Personal Life, Mental Wellbeing, and Physical Health.

National Minority Health Month

The National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities (2022) considers this month a time to “raise awareness about health disparities that continue to affect people from racial and ethnic minority groups.” They “encourage action through health education, early detection, and control of disease complications” (NIH, 2022).

May

Mental Health Awareness Month

#MentalHealthAwareness #MentalHealthAwarenessMonth

During May, individuals “join the national movement to raise awareness about mental health” (Mental Health Awareness Month, n.d.). Mental Health Awareness Month promotes awareness, fights negative stigma, provides needed support, and educates and advocates for mental health-related policies for individuals and their families.

June

National PTSD Awareness Month

#PTSDAwareness

This month is focused on raising awareness for Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, which “about 8 million people in the United States” encounter (U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs, n.d.). The USDVA (n.d.) uses this month to spread the word about effective PTSD treatments, stating that, while PTSD treatments work, “most people who have PTSD don’t get the help they need.”

July

Minority Mental Health Awareness Month

#MinorityMentalHealth

Every July, the HHS Office of Minority Health (n.d.) brings awareness “to the unique struggles that racial and ethnic minority communities face regarding mental illness in the United States.” They encourage people across industries, including community-based organizations, faith leaders, and healthcare providers to educate “communities regarding mental health (HHS Office of Minority Health, n.d.). Unlike Minority Health Awareness Month, this month focuses on mental health within specific demographics of minority individuals.

August

International Overdose Awareness Day (8/31)

Every year, on August 31st, we aim “to reduce the stigma attached to the issue,” and “remember those who have fallen victims to overdose” and the families and loved ones of those who have been affected (National Today, n.d.-a). This campaign provides the opportunity to host and/or attend a local event, obtain “campaign materials to share within communities,” remember and tribute a loved one, and donate (International Overdose Awareness Day, n.d.).

Help is available. If you or someone you know lives with a substance use disorder or might be, please contact the SAMHSA helpline at 1-800-662-4357, available 24/7.

September

National Recovery Month

Nationanl Recovery Month, or Recovery Month, “is a national observance held every September to promote and support new evidence-based treatment and recovery practices” (SAMHSA, 2022). Each year, SAMHSA (2022) “aims to increase public awareness surrounding mental health and addiction recovery,” and work to collaborate with other programs and organizations in both “private and public entities to celebrate individuals” throughout their recoveries.

National Suicide Awareness Month

This month, we focus on raising awareness, reducing stigma, shifting public perception, spread hope, and share resources and information (Suicide Prevention Awareness Month, n.d.). NAMI’s goal during this month is to ensure “that individuals, friends and families have access to the resources they need to discuss suicide prevention and to seek help” (Suicide Prevention Awareness Month, n.d.).

If you or someone you know is experiencing thoughts of suicide, contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 988, available 24/7.

An individual holding a heart shaped stone that reads "hope"

National Suicide Prevention Week

#SuicidePreventionWeek

One week every September, we focus in on “saving lives, and bringing hope, one step at a time, to those affected by suicide” (American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, n.d.). This week is intended to “create awareness of this leading cause of death, and inspire” people to learn more about the role they play “in their communities in helping to save lives” (American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, n.d.).

World Suicide Prevention Day (9/10)

#WSPD

Organized by the International Association for Suicide Prevention, this day raises awareness of suicide, and discusses ways it can be prevented.

October

National Depression Education And Awareness Month

During this month, we focus on educating ourselves and others on the “signs, symptoms, and treatment options for depression (National Today, n.d.-b).

National Depression Screening Day (10/6)

#SpeakYourMind #NDSD

On October 6th of every year, Mental Health America (n.d.) encourages individuals to make depression screenings a routine part of their healthcare. Screening for depression is important, as clinical depression is a serious medical illness that can lead to suicide (Mental Health America, n.d.). Mental Health America (n.d.) states that “about 35.3% of those suffering from severe depression seek treatment.” Depression screenings are free/low-cost and can be accessed online or in-person, and “are often the first step in getting help” (Mental Health America, n.d.).

November

National Stress Awareness Day

#NationalStressAwarenessDay

Every year, on the first Wednesday of November, we are urged to practice self-care, and remind ourselves that we cannot stress over things outside of our control (National Today, n.d.-c). This event is sponsored by the International Stress Management Association, and aims “to increase public awareness and help people recognize, manage, and reduce stress in their personal and professional lives” (National Today, n.d.-c).

December

An individual in a pink hoodie sitting in a wheelchair, and another individual standing and holding their hand

International Day of Persons with Disabilities (12/3)

Annually, on the 3rd of December, the United Nations General Assembly encourages individuals to observe this day “to promote an understanding of disability issues and mobilize support for the dignity, rights and well-being of persons with disabilities” (International Day of Persons with Disabilities, n.d.). This day is a “movement used to break down barriers to inclusion and advocate for the rights of people with disability” (International Day of Persons with Disabilities, n.d.).

If you’re looking for additional resources to supplement your involvement in the mental health community, LifeSpring offers many! We offer book recommendations, educational courses on sexual health and relationships, a low-cost, digital therapy journal, free coloring pages, and more.

Search Our Other Blogs!

 
 

Interested in Online Counseling for Anxiety, Depression, Grief and Loss, Trauma, or Self-Esteem?

If you’re a Marylander who knows that counseling is the direction you need to take, the therapists at LifeSpring Counseling Services are here to help. We offer online counseling services for mindfulness, depression, anxiety, trauma, and grief and loss. We also offer Brainspotting as a specialized service, and Brainspotting can be done online, too!

Here’s how you can get started! Online counseling for anxiety, depression, grief and loss, trauma, and self-esteem aren’t the only services offered at our Maryland office

The counselors and social workers at our Maryland office also offer counseling services for trauma, grief and loss, boundary setting, communication skills, and difficult life transitions. We also offer specialized counseling services including Brainspotting and spiritually-integrated counseling. Because we are located next to several local universities, we also work with college students and international students.

 
 
 

Written by: Madison Hager, Social Media & Digital Marketing Assistant

Photo credit: SHVETS Production
Date of download: 12/30/2022

Melissa Wesner
Previous

Helpful Answers to Commonly Asked Questions About Brainspotting Services
Next

Helpful Strategies to Assist with Tackling Culture-Related Struggles