May is Mental Health Awareness Month

For over 65 years, Mental Health Awareness Month has provided the opportunity for Mental Health America (MHA) and related organizations to conduct awareness activities across the country.

In order to bring awareness to the importance of addressing mental health early on, the 2015 theme is "B4Stage4." MHA chose this theme in an effort to change the way mental health is thought of, and to encourage prevention and intervention techniques as early as Stage 1.

It is emphasized that waiting until Stage 4 is waiting too long, and that acting early, as we do with other medical conditions, may prevent harmful outcomes that so often lead to incarceration, hospitalization, and homelessness. Here's a helpful infographic MHA created to explain B4Stage4 and the various stages of mental health conditions.

If you would like to get involved with B4Stage4, Mental Health America offers these resources:

• Confidential mental health screening test tools for depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder, PTSD, and alcohol/substance use; youth and parent screenings are also available
• Health and wellness tools like this May is Mental Health Month calendar
• An advocacy network where you can contribute to the argument for why identification and intervention before Stage 4 is important

For more information, tools, and materials please visit the MHA Mental Health Month webpage.