Each year, the first full week in October is Mental Illness Awareness Week. Established by Congress in 1991, this week raises awareness, fights discrimination, and educates the public on mental illnesses.
The theme for this year is “Together for Mental Health,” with a focus on advocating for better care for individuals facing serious mental illness and improving mental health care and crisis response.
There are events throughout the week of October 3–9, 2021:
Tuesday, October 5: National Day of Prayer for Mental Illness Recovery and Understanding
Thursday, October 7: National Depression Screening Day
Saturday, October 9: NAMIWalks United Day of Hope
Sunday, October 10: World Mental Health Day
There are a number of ways to get involved:
Learn: The National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) will be sharing personal stories of people living with mental illness each day on their blog.
Share: It’s important to bust the stigma around mental illness. NAMI provides downloadable graphics you can use on your social media to raise public awareness.
Walk: You can take part in NAMIWalks from virtually anywhere. Check out the list of in-person and virtual events.
Screen: Mental Health America offers online screening for many mental health concerns. If you think you or someone you know may be at risk, these can provide a quick way to determine if more in-depth assessment is needed.
One in 5 adults will experience mental illness each year. It is important that we all do our part to promote awareness and understanding this week and throughout the year!