Mental health awareness helps people recognize the importance of mental wellness, educates people about available services and highlights ways to advocate for those who need help. It also helps to reduce the stigma that still surrounds mental illness. Stigma is a negative view of people who have a mental health condition, such as the belief that someone living with schizophrenia is violent or that depression and anxiety do not exist.
Several studies show that a person’s willingness to seek help for mental health problems is often linked to the level of stigma they experience. Henderson2 found that college students with higher levels of stigma had lower levels of help-seeking behavior than those with lower stigma. Studies have also shown that mental health awareness programs can decrease stigma. Funkhouser15 found that participants who took an Abnormal Psychology course, for example, had lower levels of stigma than those who did not.
In schools, mental health awareness can be promoted by educating students about the signs and symptoms of mental illnesses and encouraging them to talk openly about their own experiences with mental health issues. It can also be promoted through peer support programs in which students are trained to provide emotional support for their peers. Parents can play an important role in promoting mental health awareness by creating a supportive environment at home where their children feel comfortable talking about their feelings and by supporting their child if they are experiencing difficulties with their mental health.
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