Public stigma can stop those who need treatment for mental health conditions from seeking care. It can also contribute to feeling isolated and misunderstood. The need to reduce such stigma is one reason Mental Health Awareness Month is celebrated each May. Don’t underestimate the impact you can have on friends and family members living with mental health conditions. Here are four steps you can take this month to demonstrate your support:
- Participate in mental wellness initiatives to bolster your own mental health. Doing so — especially publicly — reminds those around you that mental health is a priority. For example, Mental Health America has an action guide you can follow and share with others, which includes journal prompts, affirmations and interactive tools. It can be found at this link: mhanational.org/2026-mental-health-month-action-guide. You can also access and share Care for You, relaxation recordings created by certified mind-body medicine practitioners and board-certified music therapists that are curated and recorded by staff members at the Eskenazi Health Center for Spiritual Care & Education at eskenazihealth.edu/programs/music-therapy.
- Be considerate with your wording. Health professionals recommend person-first language when describing mental health conditions, such as “a person living with depression” instead of a “depressed person.” Notice how person-first language emphasizes that there is much more to the individual than their condition.
- Encourage openness about experiences with mental health. Talk about mental health and physical health as interconnected. Try to understand more about individual experiences of living with mental health conditions. For example, you can view pieces created for the Indiana Family and Social Services Administration Division of Mental Health and Addiction (DMHA) annual art exhibition. This event, held in honor of Mental Health Awareness Month, is themed “A Peek into My Happy Place.” Submissions were sought from those in their preteen years through older adults, with winners posted on the DMHA website. You can also wear green this month to proclaim your support for mental health awareness. According to the DMHA, green, used to label people as “insane” in the nineteenth century, now represents support for those with living with mental health conditions.
- Talk to loved ones about their mental health disorders. Encourage their efforts to seek care if they would benefit from it, just as you would if they had a physical condition. If you are ready to seek mental health care for yourself, you can consult with your primary care doctor. Or call the Sandra Eskenazi Mental Health Center access line at 317-880-8491 to schedule an appointment. Should you need urgent mental health assistance for yourself or someone else, please call the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline (just dial those three digits). Or the Sandra Eskenazi Mental Health Center emergency line at 317-880-8485.
These might seem like small steps, but they can make a big difference to those who are afraid they’ll be judged for seeking mental health care.
Broderick Rhyant, M.D., chief physician executive with Eskenazi Health Center Grande
