May is Mental Health Awareness Month. This year, NAMI is launching the “More Than Enough” awareness campaign – designed to affirm the idea that people are inherently worthy of life, love and healing – no matter what they look like, no matter where they are in their journeys, no matter what they are or aren’t able to produce.

Some fast facts about mental illness in the U.S.:

  • 1 in 5 U.S. adults experience mental illness each year, and less than half of them receive treatment.
  • 1 in 6 U.S. youth experience a mental health condition each year, and only half of them receive treatment.
  • The average delay between onset of mental illness symptoms and treatment is 11 years.
  • 160 million people live in mental health professional shortage areas, including many in North Carolina.
  • 65% of Americans are concerned about the stigma around mental illness.
  • Only half of Americans (52%) say they are familiar with the mental health care system.

Mental Health Awareness Month gives us the perfect opportunity to shine a spotlight on spreading helpful mental health resources and get the community involved in mental health advocacy efforts.

How can you get involved?

Share your story. All of us have voices that deserve to be heard. Share your story of recovery from mental illness, or of caring for a loved one with mental health issues. You can do this through a blog, a video, a social media post, or just in conversation with friends and family. The more people that speak up, the closer we are to reducing stigma around mental health in our community.

Educate yourself. Find books such as the NAMI book You Are Not Alone. Visit the NAMI Video Library for helpful information on mental illness. Join one of our upcoming educational programs for peers and families. There is a wealth of helpful resources on our website to acquaint you with the struggles of those with mental illness, and how you can help.

Take action. There are a ton of ways to get involved in mental health advocacy in your community. You can train to lead one of our Support Groups or educational classes such as Family-to-Family or Peer-to-Peer. You can volunteer with us, helping to make events like NAMIWalks NC successful. You can donate to NAMI NC, knowing that your donations go toward fulfilling our signature programming and awareness events in the community. You can also host your own event, social media campaign, or advocacy campaign to show your support for mental health awareness.

Together, we can work towards a society where everyone knows that no matter their struggle, they are #MoreThanEnough.