By using this site, you agree to the Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.
Accept
Health Works CollectiveHealth Works CollectiveHealth Works Collective
  • Health
    • Mental Health
  • Policy and Law
    • Global Healthcare
    • Medical Ethics
  • Medical Innovations
  • News
  • Wellness
  • Tech
Search
© 2023 HealthWorks Collective. All Rights Reserved.
Reading: Mental Illness Awareness Week, October 7-13
Share
Notification Show More
Font ResizerAa
Health Works CollectiveHealth Works Collective
Font ResizerAa
Search
Follow US
  • About
  • Contact
  • Privacy
© 2023 HealthWorks Collective. All Rights Reserved.
Health Works Collective > Specialties > Mental Illness Awareness Week, October 7-13
Specialties

Mental Illness Awareness Week, October 7-13

Rhona Finkel
Rhona Finkel
Share
4 Min Read
SHARE

Next week is Mental Illness Awareness Week.

Established by Congress in 1990 thanks to efforts by the tireless National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), it occurs every year during the first week of October to raise awareness about mental illness.

Next week is Mental Illness Awareness Week.

Established by Congress in 1990 thanks to efforts by the tireless National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), it occurs every year during the first week of October to raise awareness about mental illness.

More Read

Custom Lens Replacement: A Modern Vision Solution
Custom Lens Replacement: A Modern Vision Solution
Sleepwalking is No Laughing Matter
What Are HPV And What Are The Risks
Mobile Health Around the Globe: Breast Cancer Screening in Bangladesh
Study Seeks to Understand Relationship Between Chronic Stress and Alzheimer’s Disease

According to the National Institute of Mental Health, an estimated 26.2% of adult Americans (that’s a whopping 1 in four) suffer from a mental disorder in a given year. In 2004 U.S. Census numbers, that’s 57.7 million people.

And, according to the World Health Organization, mental illness is the leading cause of disability in both the U.S. and Canada for people aged 15-45.

That’s far ahead of accidents, ahead of arthritis, cancer, diabetes–it’s a seriously scary statistic.

In fact, there’s a lot we could say about mental illness (as if we haven’t said a lot already!), but I’m put in mind of a quote by Benjamin Franklin (he of the wonderfully incisive “Fish and visitors smell in three days” quotation fame):

Well done is better than well said. 

So let’s do something.

NAMI has a website dedicated to the week, where you can find banners, posters, model letters to the editor and Op-eds, and and an Idea Book.

The theme this year is “Changing Attitudes, Changing Lives,” and a lot of the work will be targeted against the stigma that still remains surrounding mental illness.

NAMI is never short on ideas, and they offer some suggestions for what you can do to make this week meaningful to you and to anyone who suffers from mental illness, all of which can be found in detail in their Idea Book. Just for a smattering of their resourcefulness, you could:

1. Host an art exhibit, concern or other creative event

2. Create bookstore and library displays

3. Hold a candlelight vigil

4. Organize a health fair

5. Screen movies

And we’d love to hear of your own creative ideas for making this week count.

Because it matters–a lot.

Some relevant posts we’ve done that might help inspire, motivate, or arm you with some facts:

  • It Just Isn’t Worth That Much: Paying For Mental Illness Prevention
  • The Decimating Damage of Depression: Vivid Numbers Plus a Visual
  • Getting Support for Bipolar Disorder Online: Some Suggestions for Streamlining the Process
  • New NCCBH ‘Health Is Mental’ Infographic*–and Some Ideas for Taking Action
  • 25 Years Early: The Possible Death Decree for the Seriously Mentally Ill
  • Just the Facts, Ma’am; The Numbers Don’t Lie: Not Servicing the Mentally Ill
Related articles
  • Mental Illness Awareness Week 2012 (summersolsticemusings.wordpress.com)
  • Navigating the mentally ill away from jail (cnn.com)
  • Through the Withering Storm, a Brief History of a Mental Illness (pr.com)
TAGGED:mental illness
Share This Article
Facebook Copy Link Print
Share

Stay Connected

1.5kFollowersLike
4.5kFollowersFollow
2.8kFollowersPin
136kSubscribersSubscribe

Latest News

Epidemiological Health Benefits
Personal and Epidemiological Health Benefits of Blood Pressure Management
Health
October 13, 2025
Traumatic Brain Injuries
Understanding Traumatic Brain Injuries: What Families Need to Know
Policy & Law
October 10, 2025
Remote Monitoring touchpoints
Remote Monitoring Touchpoints Patients Will Actually Follow
Technology
October 9, 2025
dental care
Importance of Good Dental Care for Health and Confidence
Dental health Specialties
October 2, 2025

You Might also Like

Specialties

Meningioma: Understanding Symptoms And Treatments

March 24, 2020
caregiver stress
eHealthSpecialties

Addressing the Needs of Family Caregivers of Loved Ones with Rare Diseases

May 31, 2014
Dental healthSpecialties

The Strange Connection Between Heart Disease and Dental Health

April 30, 2019
Specialties

Home And Hospital Treatment For Stomach Pain And Discomfort

July 15, 2020
Subscribe
Subscribe to our newsletter to get our newest articles instantly!
Follow US
© 2008-2025 HealthWorks Collective. All Rights Reserved.
  • About
  • Contact
  • Privacy
Welcome Back!

Sign in to your account

Username or Email Address
Password

Lost your password?