LIFE

 

The start of October means crunch time for figuring out your Halloween costume, but it also means something a little more important. This week is Mental Illness Awareness Week, and, in our busy lives, we usually don’t give enough thought to the millions of Americans dealing with mental illness every single day.

1 in 5 Americans experience a mental health condition, according to the National Alliance On Mental Illness, and 1 in 25 adults live with a serious mental health illness. 43.8 adults experience mental illness in a given year, and that’s not to mention the 20% of children between the ages of 13 and 18 who are living with a mental health condition. What’s the impact? 70% of children in juvenielle systems have a mental health condition, as well as 24% of adult state prisoners.

The question is: What can I do to help?

 

You can raise awareness by taking the #StigmaFree pledge on the National Alliance On Mental Illness website. And social media isn’t just a fun way to keep in touch with friends, it’s also a great way to remind everyone what’s really important. Tweet to all your followers about your pledge this week and about this pledge so they can do it as well.

But your support shouldn’t stop at tweets and Instas. You can also donate to the cause to really make a difference. NAMI uses the donations to create resources for families struggling with mental illnesses, promote awareness events and inspire policy change on national, state and local levels.

The more we talk about it, the more awareness we raise which leads to bigger donations and a bigger change. Tell your parents and tell your friends: Together, we can all make a difference.

What will you do to help? Tell us about it in the comments!

by Amy Garcia | 10/3/2016