May is Mental Health Awareness Month: Why it Matters More Than Ever

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Each May, communities across the nation observe Mental Health Awareness Month—a time to reflect, educate, and advocate. First celebrated in 1949, this observance serves to reduce stigma, raise awareness, and promote mental wellness for all. But more than a campaign, Mental Health Awareness Month is a call to listen more, judge less, and ensure that no one struggles alone.

Mental health impacts every aspect of our lives—how we think, feel, connect, and function. Yet, far too often, conversations around mental health are avoided or silenced due to fear, shame, or misunderstanding. That’s why this month (and every month) matters: it gives us space and permission to acknowledge that mental health is health, and that everyone deserves access to care, support, and hope.

Cobb Collaborative has many ways we plan to acknowledge the month-through events, walks, resource sharing, and proclamations. We aim to use our voice to provide awareness, reduce the stigma, and promote resilience in individuals around our community and beyond.

“Your mind is a garden. Your thoughts are the seeds. You can either grow flowers or weeds.” -William Wordsworth

The Reality in Georgia and Cobb County

In Georgia, nearly 1 in 5 adults lives with a mental health condition, mirroring national statistics. But data shows our state also faces unique challenges:

  • Georgia ranks 47th in the nation for access to mental health care, according to Mental Health America’s 2024 State of Mental Health in America report. Just to put that into perspective, Georgia ranks #1 in business.
  • Approximately 56% of Georgia youth with major depression receive no treatment.
  • in Cobb County specifically, recent data from the Georgia Department of Public Health shows suicide as one of the leading causes of death among youth ages 10-24.
  • Emergency departments continue to report increased visits for behavioral health crises, especially among adolescents and young adults.

These numbers are more than statistics—they are reminders that our neighbors, friends, colleagues, and loved ones are navigating real struggles, often in silence. There remains such a stigma around mental health and seeking support, in our community and beyond. We must recognize the barriers many face when seeking support so that, with barriers reduced, individuals may actually find that support and feel that being vulnerable was worth it.

Taking Action: How to Get Involved

While these challenges are serious, so is our commitment to change. This May, we’re joining voices across Cobb County, Georgia, and the nation to amplify the message that mental health matters. Whether you’re a parent, educator, business leader, student, or neighbor, you have a role to play.

Here’s what you can do:

  • Educate yourself and others. Learn the signs of mental health struggles and how to respond with empathy and be supportive. Read books on mental health. Attend trainings to bring more awareness on certain mental health topics. Cobb Collaborative offers a variety of trauma-informed trainings, including the Community Resiliency Model Training. There is a virtual offering, open to the community, of this training on June 5th, from 6-7pm.
  • Break the stigma. Start conversations. Share stories or invite loved ones to share stories. Get comfortable with what may be uncomfortable at first. Normalize asking for help, for yourself or others.
  • Support local events. Cobb Collaborative will be hosting a Wellness Walk on May 10th, 10-11am. This is a great opportunity to connect with others and join an open dialogue on mental well-being while enjoying moving your body outdoors. Look into other community events happening near you this month.
  • Connect with resources. *If you or someone you know needs crisis support, call, chat or text 988, the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline, available 24/7 and in various languages. Find free or low-cost services or resources in your area on Find Help Cobb or Find Help GA. There are several guides and toolkits from many organizations for Mental Health Awareness Month, such as Mental Heath America and SAMHSA. Check out our Mind Your Mind Webpage for digital resources, as well as our newly launched Mind Your Mind Social Media page for more content on mental health.

“Courage does not always roar. Sometimes courage is the little voice at the end of the day that says, ‘I will try again tomorrow.'”-Mary Anne Radmacher

A Shared Responsibility

Mental health is not just a personal issue—it’s a community one. When we invest in mental well-being, we strengthen families, workplaces, schools, and neighborhoods. Let’s make Mental Health Awareness Month more than a moment. Let’s make it a movement toward understanding, healing, and hope.

Remember to Mind Your Mind this Mental Health Awareness Month.

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