Use our key messages in interviews or articles about Mental Health Month and supplement with facts from our website as needed.
Find quick mental health facts
For interviews, contact us at media@mhanational.org.
Key messages
General
- Since founding Mental Health Month in 1949, Mental Health America has united millions of people every May to promote awareness, provide vital resources, and advocate for everyone’s mental well-being.
- Maintaining good mental health is vital to overall health and well-being. Mental health conditions are common, manageable, and treatable.
- One in five people will experience a mental health condition in any given year, and everyone faces challenges in life that can impact their mental health.
- About half of Americans will meet the criteria for a diagnosable mental health condition sometime in their lives, with symptoms starting by age 14 for the majority of people.
- It is never too soon to seek treatment for your mental health. Getting help early saves lives.
2025
- Mental health has been a more prominent part of public conversation and consciousness. Now is the moment to turn this heightened awareness into powerful, positive action for lasting change.
- This May, MHA’s “Turn Awareness Into Action” campaign will equip individuals, organizations, and communities with practical steps and tools to drive tangible and meaningful change.
Act
- There are many ways to take action – big and small – to improve mental health for yourself, for those around you, and for all people living in America.
- Taking proactive steps to understand and care for your mental well-being isn’t just self-care—it’s an investment in your future.
- Take action by checking on your mental health with a free, quick, anonymous test at mhascreening.org.
- Mental health is deeply personal, and what works for one person may not work for another. It is important to explore which practices and/or treatments best fit your unique needs and circumstances.
- Seeking professional help for your mental health when self-help efforts aren’t working is a sign of strength, not weakness. You don’t have to go through these struggles alone.
- Finding the right intervention might take time. Don’t be afraid to try different approaches until you find the combination that works best for you.
- It’s OK to change the type of action you take for your mental health as your needs change.
- Storytelling is a powerful way to break down stigma and promote open conversations about mental health.
- Join or support local initiatives that promote mental health and provide resources to strengthen your community.
- Communities thrive when they prioritize mental health. Speak up about the importance of accessible mental health care and work to break down barriers to treatment.
- Everyone has the power to drive policy change. Contact your elected officials and urge them to support legislation that increases funding for mental health services, expands access to treatment, and protects the rights of people with mental health conditions.