Mental Health Awareness Week - Why Do We Do It?

To be honest, I used to roll my eyes at Mental Health Awareness Week. I always felt that the event seemed repetitive and trivialised mental illness to the point where I couldn't take it seriously. However, as my exposure to mental illness grew, my perception of the week completely shifted. 

It’s no secret that rates of mental illness are increasing. In 2019, the American Psychological Association published an article stating that rates of depression amongst 12-17 year olds had increased 52% from 2005 to 2017. This increase in struggle can be seen in all social circles. The majority of friend groups I know have at least one member with a diagnosed mental illness. So many young people are exposed to mental illness that the issues become dismissed with the statements “well, everyone’s depressed” or “everyone has anxiety.” 

However, during Mental Health Awareness Week, I notice a shift in this stigma. The Jack Chapter, the organizers of all mental-health-related activities at Greenwood, creates important conversations surrounding the seriousness of mental illness. I used to believe these conversations were meaningless, but over the past few Awareness weeks, I’ve seen this shift in the Greenwood community: every time Awareness week rolls around, people are more understanding and generally, more kind. 

This week encourages students to recognize the severity of mental illness and the dangers that come with these disorders. People can no longer comfortably say “everyone’s depressed” because they are reminded of the importance of these topics. I personally notice that friends check in with each other more and are more sensitive to their language surrounding mental health. 

When I was in Grade 9, Greenwood hosted a guest speaker who described her experience with anorexia. She explained how many of her friends, though they knew about her disorder, continued to comment on weight and dieting and generally dismissed her issues because “everyone doesn’t like how they look.” It was extremely emotional, with multiple students and teachers tearing up during the presentation. I remember walking out of the assembly and hearing students apologise to each other. It was the first time they realized how their language affected their friends. It was a wake-up call for all students. 

The Jack Chapter’s theme for this week is “embracing the journey.” The executives of this committee, Dana Saltzman (‘22) and Colette Pitts (‘22), have described this as embracing one’s own personal journey through mental health and through supporting friends/family through mental illness. The week includes grade-specific workshops, with videos and discussion surrounding personal mental health, and daily advice about how to help others and when to seek help yourself. Finally, the week ends with a “Feel Good Friday” where students do not need to wear uniforms and a “Stigma” pinata is symbolically smashed in the parkette. 

As mental illness becomes an ever-growing issue in high school, it is necessary for schools to have these awareness weeks. Although it may seem repetitive, this event helps students to realize that mental health and mental illness need to be taken seriously. It creates conversations about how to support others and, more importantly, causes students to recognize how their language surrounding mental health affects their friends. 

Only through consistent awareness can students recognize the importance of mental health.