May 13, 2022 by Natalie Cochran
Mental Health Awareness Month: Why Advocating for Mental Health Matters
In the United States, 1 in 5 adults currently have symptoms of a mental illness. Advocating for Mental Health Awareness Month in May means providing support and resources to those who are living with a mental illness so they can find the right treatment. Lone Star Legal Aid recognizes this awareness month as an opportunity to educate the community on why mental health matters.
Common mental health disorders
- Depression;
- Anxiety;
- Bipolar Disorder;
- Substance use disorder;
- Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD);
- Schizophrenia; and
- Suicidal tendencies.
How prevalent is mental health in the U.S?
- 48 million have an anxiety disorder;
- 21 million have major depression;
- 9 million have post-traumatic stress disorder;
- 7 million have bipolar disorder;
- 5 million have borderline personality disorder;
- 3 million have obsessive compulsive disorder; and
- 5 million have schizophrenia.
Mental health awareness is not just a conversation for people living with mental health disorders. Whether or not someone is personally experiencing a mental health condition, Mental Health Awareness Month helps all people recognize ways mental health impacts lives and it educates people about services and treatment available to them.
Unfortunately, many people do not realize that treatment is available because of the stigma associated with mental health. When society disapproves or shames people who live with a mental illness, the stigma grows, and less people seek the help they need. Some people do not even realize that treatment is available, and this causes people to suffer silently.
When people suffer silently, it can cause suicidal thoughts. Suicide is one of the top three causes of death in the U.S. We will never know if our conversations and actions will impact another person. Raising awareness can save a life.
It is vital for caregivers, loved ones, and friends to understand the impact that mental health has on someone’s daily life. Mental Health Awareness Month provides education on the reality of what our friends and family might be going through and guides them to the support they need.
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If you or a loved one require an attorney, applications for free legal help can be made at www.LoneStarLegal.org. If you would like to explore other resources for crime victim survivors, you can visit the Texas Crime Victim Legal Assistance Network. If you would like to explore self-help resources, please visit www.texaslawhelp.org.
Lone Star Legal Aid is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit law firm focused on advocacy for low-income and underserved populations. Lone Star Legal Aid serves millions of people at 125% of federal poverty guidelines that reside in 72 counties in the eastern and Gulf Coast regions of Texas, and 4 counties of Southwest Arkansas. Lone Star Legal Aid focuses its resources on maintaining, enhancing, and protecting income and economic stability; preserving housing; improving outcomes for children; establishing and sustaining family safety and stability, health, and well-being; and assisting populations with special vulnerabilities, like those with disabilities, or who are elderly, homeless, or have limited English language skills. Lone Star Legal Aid does not discriminate based on race, color, religion, creed, gender, gender expression, sexual orientation, age, national origin, ancestry, disability, marital status, or military status, in any of its activities or operations. To learn more about Lone Star Legal Aid, visit our website at https://www.lonestarlegal.org.
Media contact: media@lonestarlegal.org
