Mental Health Awareness Week

Apparently, it’s Mental Health Awareness Week which happens during Mental Health Awareness Month. I must be a bad advocate. I had no idea. I found out through the morning announcements. And, get this, green is the Mental Health awareness color. At least that’s what I’m guessing since they asked us to wear green to support mental health awareness. I’ve always been a little skeptical about all these awareness weeks and months. It seems like every month is something now. That makes them all blend together, so I’m not sure how much awareness they’re creating.

Still, the worst-case scenario is that these weeks aren’t as successful as they hope to be. They certainly don’t do any harm. So, I’m writing a post to help raise awareness of Mental Health Awareness Week. We have the same goal after all. I think I have enough green to wear something green for the rest of the week. If anyone asks me, “Hey, what’s with all the green?” I can tell them all about it. Otherwise, I can try to write a couple or a few more posts.

Are you doing anything for Mental Health Awareness Week? Can you think of anything else I can do? I’m always happy to get feedback.

3 comments

Kerri May 9, 2022 5:44 pm

I guess Mental Health Awareness Week means I can have mental health issues now?

I’m reminded of a scene in Pump Up The Volume (that somehow does not have video clips on the Internet):

“Nora – ‘Believe It Or Not I Care: 8:30 – 3:30.’ What’s that.
Janie – Some new hot line Deaver’s setting up.
Nora – Hey it’s like 8:30 in the morning so it’s alright to kill myself!
Janie – Oh my god it’s after 3:00 so I’m totally fucked.”

I wonder how much awareness matters. Yeah, I’m cynical. Thinking of how workplaces go wild with DEI trainings but nothing is taken to heart. . . none of the information is used in practical, thoughtful, significant ways. What does the awareness help if our system remains such that bosses look at the bottom line and prove that they can be sympathetic only until profits are threatened? I’m thinking about our world right now and how remote work is so, so helpful for the mental health of some, but (some) employers are going hard to get workers back into offices, even when those jobs really do not require it.

Sorry for ranting all over your comments, but I don’t see the point in awareness days/weeks/months. I think people tune out what others go through until/unless those others are actually family or friends. Then they’ll sit up and pay attention.

I would almost go so far as to argue that awareness campaigns can harm. To get back to DEI, there are places that will do a workshop or two, check off that box, and be like “see, we fixed racism.” I think this is similar. “Mental health awareness workshop/literature/campaign” . . . check! Now that we all know about it, we’ve solved the problem. We don’t have to worry over it anymore. These issues don’t exist here. We can move along. Nothing to see.