By Jeanni Ritchie
Mental Health Awareness Month begins today. Celebrated since 1949, its mission is to increase awareness of the importance of mental health and wellness in Americans’ lives and to celebrate recovery from mental illness. (SAMHSA, 2024)
Dates of note:
May 3: National Garden Meditation Day #NationalGardenMeditationDay Spend time in a garden near you to relax your mind and body. Check your local listings or visit
May 5: World Laughter Day #WorldLaughterDay Find out more at https://www.
May 9: National Children’s Mental Health Awareness Day #kidsmentalhealth #childmentalhealth The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) hosted the first National Children’s Mental Health Awareness Day in 2005. The National Federation of Families (NFF) has adopted the slogan Lighting the Path to Social Justice for Children and Youth for 2024. Find out more about their Accept. Advocate. Act. mission at https://www.ffcmh.org/
May 12: National Mental Health Provider Appreciation Day #endthestigma #mentalhealthmatters If you have or know a mental health provider, show your appreciation for this important work.
May 13: Dementia Awareness Week #Dementia #EndALZ Check into local and online support groups for caregivers and family members.
May 21: World Meditation Day #WorldMeditationDay The holiday seeks to create awareness about meditation and its benefits, especially in our busy world of constant movement.
May 31: What You Think Upon Grows Day #powerofpositivethinking
The healing philosophy of the positive mindset, pioneered by author and clergyman Norman Vincent Peale, encourages individuals to embrace the power of positive thinking and apply it with the hope of living happier and more fulfilled lives.
The National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) is celebrating Mental Health Awareness Month with the Take the Moment campaign. “We encourage you to join us in fostering open dialogues, cultivating empathy and understanding. We also urge you to share our resources to support individuals and families on their journey towards mental wellness.”
Share your stories throughout May on how you are taking moments to prioritize your mental health and break the stigma with the hashtag #TakeAMentalHealthMoment in your posts.
Jeanni Ritchie is a contributing journalist from Central Louisiana whose work centers on mental health positivity and faith. She can be reached at jeanniritchie54@gmail.com.