One in five people in the United States struggle with mental health issues. So why is there such a big stigma surrounding mental disorders? Scrolling through Instagram the other week, I came across the national holiday and had no clue what it entailed. After I did some of my own research, I knew this topic was very important to me and I was inspired to share some information about it.
What is Silence the Shame Day?
May 5th is National Silence the Shame Day. This national awareness day encourages individuals, struggling with mental health or not, to have conversations and bring awareness to the common struggle. The Silence the Shame organization has impacted over 55 countries and accumulated over 219 million social media impressions.
How can you get involved?
The Silence the Shame organization is always seeking volunteers to raise awareness about mental health. Some of the volunteer opportunities with the organization are community conversation panelists, podcast guests and fundraiser hosts.
Click this link to sign up to volunteer! https://airtable.com/shrQAUF06BTNH9x7p
Another fun and impactful way to get involved in the mental health conversation is by becoming a Silence the Shame Self-Care Saturday Instructor. In this position, you can lead a 30-45 minute session on a self-care practice that you have experience in to help others cope with stress and anxious feelings to improve mental health.
Click this link to become an instructor! https://airtable.com/shrTcEV5aVYr2Pd1j
A simple way to start a conversation about mental health is by using the hashtag #silencetheshame on your social media platforms.
No one should feel bad for getting the help they need. By speaking up and raising awareness about the prevalence of mental health, we can lessen the stigma around the topic.