May Focus: Awareness, Stigma, and Seeking Support
May is recognized as Mental Health Awareness Month, a time to move beyond surface-level conversations and focus on understanding, access, and support.
At Unlaced, awareness is about kicking the stigma, increasing understanding, and reminding people that seeking help is actually a strength!
Mental wellness grows when information replaces shame.
What Does “Mental Health Awareness” Really Mean?
Mental health awareness means increasing understanding about mental health conditions, emotional well-being, and the supports that help people thrive.
True awareness includes:
Accurate information about mental health
Recognizing of early warning signs
Normalizing help-seeking behaviors
Challenging stigma and misinformation
Awareness is not just knowing mental health exists, but also knowing how to respond with care.
Understanding Mental Health Stigma
Stigma involves negative beliefs or attitudes toward mental health challenges. It can be external (from society) or internal (self-stigma).
Research suggests that stigma can:
Prevent people from seeking help
Increase feelings of shame and isolation
Worsen mental health outcomes
Delay early intervention
Reducing stigma improves access to care and long-term well-being.
Why Some People Hesitate to Seek Support
Many people delay or avoid seeking help due to:
Fear of judgment
Cultural or family beliefs
Lack of access or resources
Belief that they should “handle it alone”
Mental health challenges are not personal shortcomings. They are part of the human experience and support is a protective factor, not a weakness.
Mental Wellness and Early Support
Early support can prevent symptoms from intensifying and help individuals build coping tools sooner.
Evidence shows that timely mental health care is associated with:
Improved emotional regulation
Reduced symptom severity
Better quality of life
Stronger social functioning
Support can look different for everyone like seeking therapy, peer support, community, or trusted relationships.
How to Support Mental Wellness (For Yourself or Others)
Evidence-based ways to reduce stigma and encourage wellness include:
Using supportive language
Avoid using phrases that minimize like “just be positive” or “others have it worse.” Validation does actually matter.
Talking openly (when safe)
Sharing experiences reduces isolation and normalizes help-seeking.
Encouraging professional support
Mental health professionals provide tools, structure, and safety.
Meeting people where they are
Support doesn’t require fixing, it requires listening.
Journal Prompts for May
Use these prompts (in your Unlaced Journal ;)) to reflect on awareness, beliefs, and support. Engage only with what feels safe.
What messages did I learn about mental health growing up? How do they affect me now?
What does seeking support mean to me and what emotions come up around it?
What helps me feel emotionally safe enough to open up?
If I knew support wouldn’t lead to judgment, what might I ask for?
How can I practice more compassion toward myself when I’m struggling?
When Asking for Help Feels Hard
Reaching out can feel vulnerable, especially if you’ve been taught to stay quiet or strong!
You don’t have to share everything.
You don’t have to have the right words.
You’re allowed to take one small step at a time.
Unlaced exists to remind you that you were never meant to carry everything alone.
Carrying Awareness Forward
Mental health awareness doesn’t begin or end in May.
Let this month be a reminder that education, empathy, and support can change lives!
— Unlaced
Created to spark conversations, inspire peace, and remind you that even when life feels heavy, support is always worth reaching for.
References
American Psychological Association. (2023). Mental health stigma and barriers to care.
Corrigan, P. W., Druss, B. G., & Perlick, D. A. (2014). The impact of mental illness stigma on seeking care. Psychiatric Services, 65(1), 37–44.
National Alliance on Mental Illness. (2023). Mental Health Awareness Month resources.
World Health Organization. (2022). Mental health: Strengthening our response.