Alexandria, VA – During a time of unprecedented anxiety about a world pandemic, Mental Health America (MHA) today announced the start of its 2020 May is Mental Health Month campaign, with an emphasis on delivering “Tools 2 Thrive” to address the mental health needs of everyone.
MHA is proud to have started May is Mental Health Month in 1949, and since then has led the observance by reaching millions of people through the media, local events and online mental health screenings. Over the past 71 years, it has become the most widely recognized mental health awareness effort in the world.
While 1 in 5 people will experience a mental illness during their lifetime, everyone faces challenges in life that can impact their mental health. In 2020, our theme of Tools 2 Thrive will provide practical tools that everyone can use to improve their mental health and increase resiliency regardless of the situations they are dealing with. In this uncertain and troubling time, we now believe that these tools – even those that may need to be adapted for the short term because of COVID-19 and social distancing – will be more useful than ever.
MHA’s Tools 2 Thrive toolkit includes sample materials for communications and social media as well as printable handouts on the following topics:
- Owning Your Feelings
- Finding the Positive
- Eliminating Toxic Influences
- Creating Healthy Routines
- Supporting Others
- Connecting with Others
- An infographic about mental health and COVID-19
“With the development of COVID-19 and the anxiety, fear and isolation that has come with it, these tools and tips are important to helping us each keep our mental health in check,” said Paul Gionfriddo, president and CEO, Mental Health America. “Recognizing your feelings, finding the routines that lift you up, removing toxic influences and connecting with others – right now virtually – can go a long way in helping you develop your own mental health tools to thrive.”
As part of Mental Health Month, MHA is also launching the #MillionInMay campaign, designed to get one million mental health screens for MHA’s Online Screening Program. Mhascreening.org is home to nine verified mental health screens, that offer individuals a quick, free and private way to assess their mental health and recognize signs of any problem before crisis occurs. MHA is asking everyone share our #MillionInMay campaign to your friends and colleagues, to your community, and on social media - and help direct people to the screening program throughout the month of May.
You can learn more about Mental Health Month and download MHA’s 2020 toolkit by going to www.mhanational.org/may