25 Years of Mental Health Awareness Week

Did you know this year marks the 25-year anniversary of Mental Illness Awareness Week?

Mental Illness Awareness Week was established by the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) to fight stigma, provide support, educate the public and advocate for equal care of people with mental illnesses. The observance occurs every year during the first full week of October.

Mental illness is a medical condition. One in five adults experience a mental illness in any given year. It is often surrounded by silence or stereotypes that discourage people from getting help if they need it.
To learn more and join us in increasing awareness about mental illness, you can:

• Take the StigmaFree Pledge. Join NAMI to promote acceptance of mental illness and urge others to see people for who they are. By taking the pledge you will also receive updates on the StigmaFree Campaign.

• Follow and use the hashtag, #IAmStigmaFree. Once you take the pledge, post about Mental Health Awareness Week to spread the word on social media. Find pictures - including Mental Illness Awareness Week cover photos for Facebook and Twitter here.

• Assess yourself. Take an anonymous mental health self-assessment to find out if you or someone you care about should connect with a mental health professional. The online screening is completely confidential. Once you complete the screening, you will be able to review your results and related resources.

For those who are able, work can be a way to help. Multiple studies, such as those by the World Health Organization (PDF) or the London School of Economics (PDF) have found that employment can promote mental well-being by providing structure, social contact, purpose, identity and activity.

If you or someone you know has a mental illness and receive disability benefits from Social Security, you may be able to receive free job support services through the Ticket to Work program. To learn how Ticket to Work can help you:

• Watch this video. The program supports career development for Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) and/or Supplemental Security Income (SSI) beneficiaries age 18 through 64 who want to work.

• Explore the Path to Work. Whether you are thinking about working, ready to find a service provider to help you, looking for a job or already working this tool can help you at every part of your journey.

• Read or watch Success Stories. Real people - like Cherie Cummings, Jason Faust and Megan Riggs - have successfully managed their mental illnesses and taken advantage of Ticket to Work program resources and Work Incentives.

• Call the Ticket to Work Help Line. To speak with someone about how this program can help you, call the 1-866-968-7842 (V) or 1-866-833-2967 (TTY). Representatives are standing by Monday through Friday from 8:00 AM - 8:00 PM ET.