May is Mental Health Awareness Month

Written By Simone Monteiro Miranda

Let’s Open Up, Speak Out, and Support One Another

Every May, communities, organizations, and individuals come together to observe Mental Health Awareness Month — a time dedicated to breaking the stigma, raising awareness, and advocating for better mental health for all.

Sponsored by Mental Health America (MHA), this national campaign has been running since 1949, making it one of the longest-standing mental health awareness efforts in the United States.

In 2025, the message is more urgent than ever:
Mental health is just as essential as physical health — and everyone deserves access to care, support, and understanding.

🌿 What Is Mental Health Awareness Month?

Mental Health Awareness Month is a national movement designed to:

  • Promote open dialogue around mental health struggles

  • Encourage early intervention and support

  • Educate communities on symptoms, resources, and preventive care

  • Reduce stigma and discrimination

  • Inspire individuals to take steps toward mental well-being
     

This year, Mental Health America is focusing on the theme:
"Where to Start: Mental Health in a Changing World"
It recognizes how social media, work stress, climate anxiety, political tension, and economic uncertainty are all affecting our collective mental well-being.

Their toolkit offers practical steps, facts, graphics, and worksheets to help individuals and organizations build mental health-friendly spaces. Learn more and download free materials at mhanational.org/mental-health-month.


🌍 Mental Health Is a Global Concern — and the UN Agrees

Mental health isn’t just a national conversation — it’s a global imperative. The United Nations has been a vocal advocate for prioritizing mental well-being on a global scale, especially in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.

According to the UN:

  • 1 in 8 people globally lives with a mental health condition

  • The economic cost of mental illness is projected to exceed $6 trillion by 2030

  • There is an urgent need to integrate mental health into universal health coverage, especially in developing countries

The UN’s Sustainable Development Goal 3 specifically calls for promoting mental health and well-being. In 2022, the UN Secretary-General called for "a massive scale-up in investments in mental health,” recognizing mental health as a human right and a crucial foundation for peace, security, and prosperity.

The World Health Organization (WHO) — an agency of the UN — has also launched several initiatives to support mental health care access globally, especially in vulnerable and underserved populations.


💛 Why This Matters — and How You Can Help

Whether you’re a business owner, parent, student, or community member — your mental health matters. But we can’t create healthier environments alone. We need education, resources, and compassion — not just for ourselves, but for each other.

Here’s how you can take part this Mental Health Awareness Month:

✔️ Share the MHA Toolkit with your community
✔️ Check in on friends, employees, or colleagues
✔️ Normalize mental health conversations in the workplace and home
✔️ Prioritize self-care, and seek help when you need it
✔️ Advocate for better mental health policies in your school, workplace, or city


💼 How Business Owners Can Support Mental Health Awareness Month

Whether you’re a solo entrepreneur or lead a team of 50, here are ways you can show your support during May — and beyond:

1. Promote Awareness

2. Support Your Team

  • Offer flexible hours or mental health days

  • Normalize conversations around stress, burnout, and self-care in team meetings

  • Provide access to mental health support resources or Employee Assistance Programs (EAPs)
     

3. Host a Wellness Event

  • Invite a mental health professional for a virtual talk or Q&A session

  • Offer a meditation or mindfulness workshop

  • Create a “Wellness Wednesday” series featuring stress relief tips
     

4. Lead by Example

  • As a business owner, be transparent about your own wellness journey

  • Share what boundaries or routines help you maintain your mental health

  • Encourage rest, balance, and the idea that asking for help is a strength, not a weakness
     

🧩 Final Thoughts

Mental Health Awareness Month isn’t just a date on the calendar — it’s a call to action.

It’s an opportunity to create safer spaces, break the silence, and support one another in our humanity — especially in our workplaces, where so much of our energy and identity is invested.

At Simone Miranda Virtual Assistance, I’m proud to support Mental Health America’s mission and the United Nations' global efforts to prioritize emotional well-being. Let’s continue the conversation and commit to protecting the mental health of ourselves, our teams, and our communities.

Because mental health matters — this month and every month. 💚

📘 Learn more and access free resources from Mental Health America:
👉 https://mhanational.org/mental-health-month

📢 Help us spread the word:
#MetalHealthFridays #MentalHealthAwarenessMonth #MHM2025 #WhereToStart #EndTheStigma

Simone Monteiro Miranda
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