May is an impact month for those who support mental health issues as it is known as Mental Health Awareness Month. It has been around for almost 77 years now since its establishment in 1949 by the National Association for Mental Health. Over time, the stigma around mental health has changed drastically. It was only around the 1990s that it became a normalized subject to talk about. Before the turning point in health development, many people were shunned or tortured without receiving the right type of treatment. They were considered people who were getting punished by God and deemed the embodiment of the devil. 

Normalizing Mental Health

Despite there being changes in the way people view mental health, it is still a taboo topic for others to bring in. In older generations, it was often dismissed and still not taken seriously for the grave subject it is. However, that does not mean that all hope was lost in the battle of fighting for mental health advocacy. Many influencers and companies have fought for more support and attention to the matter such as Selena Gomez, Dwayne Johnson, Ryan Reynolds and Demi Lovato. Along with how there are many resources and improved technology towards mental health in which it truly demonstrates how far we have come. 

Mental Health Through the Eyes of Student

Rhia Campos is a sophomore at Woodbridge High School who has expressed that, “I believe that mental health is such a taboo because of the way people are afraid to speak up about things that aren’t talked about or normalized enough.” She also states that, “Mental health has affected society so much due to the fact that so many people struggle with it and have taken their lives because of the lack of help and their fear of talking about it.” Mackenzie Wilson is another sophomore who claims that, “I think that there is a stigma attached to it because people are afraid of having something “wrong” with them.” Which concludes that people with mental health often aren’t treated with the same amount of respect and are oppressed due to the stigma around mental health. 

Speaking Out On Mental Health

Rhia states that, “With the involvement of social media, I have seen mental health worsen and improve because of it. I’ve seen many people online that make videos to help and reach out while also bringing awareness to mental health.. But, I have also seen people online bully others based on their bodies, opinions to make others insecure and suffer.” Madison Collins, a sophomore who also agrees with the following, “Though controversial, I think the media itself is a problem with mental health as I’ve seen people trying to advocate for mental health through the media but I don’t think the message has fully resonated yet.” 

Improvements Moving Forward

Although the spread of advocacy for mental health has come a long way from the 1900s, it can still be improved in the world, not just including school or work environments as both students agree that it can be improved. People should challenge themselves everyday to make a solid effort in helping those who struggle with mental health issues.