May Is Mental Health Awareness Month — And We Have Something to Say About It

Written By Angela Rodgers

Every May, the mental health community comes together to raise awareness, reduce stigma, and remind people that they are not alone. Here at Sandstone Counseling in Green, OH, this month means a lot to us. We think about it year-round honestly, but May gives us a good reason to say some things out loud that we feel like more people need to hear.

So here we are.

Mental Health Is Health

We know that sounds simple. But it's worth repeating, because a lot of people still treat their mental health like it's separate from everything else. You'd go to a doctor for high blood pressure. You'd get physical therapy for a knee injury. Reaching out for support when you're struggling with anxiety, depression, grief, or trauma is no different. It's just health.

The National Institute of Mental Health estimates that more than one in five adults in the United States lives with a mental illness. That's not a small number. That's your neighbor, your coworker, maybe your own reflection. And yet so many people go months or years without talking to anyone about what they're carrying.

That gap between struggling and getting support is exactly what Mental Health Awareness Month is trying to close.

What We Actually See in Our Work

As counselors, we hear a lot of different stories. We work with adults navigating big life transitions, people managing anxiety that has quietly run their lives for years, individuals processing grief and loss they were never given space to work through. We work with adolescents who are trying to figure out who they are in a world that moves incredibly fast. We work with people navigating relationships, identity, trauma, and the kind of emotional dysregulation that makes everyday life feel exhausting.

What we see across all of those stories is this: the people who get better are the ones who decide to show up. Not because they had it all figured out. Not because things weren't hard. They showed up anyway.

That's the part no awareness campaign can fully capture. Change is personal. It happens in real conversations, in real sessions, over real time.

What Stigma Still Sounds Like

We've come a long way. Conversations about mental health are more common now than they were even ten years ago. But stigma is still present, and it's sneaky. It shows up in small ways.

It sounds like "I don't want to be a burden." It sounds like "Other people have it worse." It sounds like "I should be able to handle this on my own." It sounds like waiting until things get bad enough to justify asking for help.

None of that is true, by the way. You don't have to earn access to support. A person doesn't need to be in crisis to benefit from talking to a counselor. Most people who come through our doors are just tired. Tired of feeling stuck, feeling anxious, feeling disconnected. That is more than enough reason to reach out.

A Note on Language

One thing we've learned is that the words we use matter. At Sandstone, we're intentional about person-first language. We talk about someone navigating depression, not a "depressed person." We talk about a person with ADHD, not someone who IS their diagnosis. We work with people who are managing addiction, not "addicts."

This might seem minor, but it changes how people see themselves and how they feel walking through our door. Labels shrink people. Language that leads with personhood leaves room to grow.

If You're Reading This and You're Not Okay

We want to say something directly to you.

You don't have to keep going it alone. Whatever you're dealing with, whether it's something you've struggled with for a long time or something that just recently knocked you sideways, you deserve support. Not someday. Now.

Mental Health Awareness Month is a good reminder that asking for help isn't weakness. It takes courage to look honestly at what's going on inside and decide you want something different.

Cost Shouldn't Be a Barrier

We hear it a lot: "I'd love to talk to someone, but I'm not sure I can afford it." That's a real concern, and we don't want to gloss over it.

Not everyone has mental health coverage through insurance. Some people do have coverage but prefer not to use it, for privacy reasons or otherwise. Both of those situations are completely valid, and neither one should mean going without support.

At Sandstone Counseling, we offer self-pay rates and we're happy to have an honest conversation about what's workable for you. We believe access to mental health care matters, and we'll do our best to make it as affordable as we can. If cost has been the thing holding you back from reaching out, please don't let it stop you from at least starting the conversation with us. [Link to contact page]

What We Hope for This Month

Honestly, our hope for Mental Health Awareness Month is straightforward. We want fewer people suffering in silence. We want the conversation to keep going after May ends. We want people to treat their mental health with the same seriousness and care they give to the rest of their well-being.

If you're in the Green, OH area and you've been thinking about reaching out to a counselor, this is a good time to take that step. Our team at Sandstone Counseling would be glad to talk with you about what you're experiencing and figure out whether working together might be a good fit. [Link to contact page or appointment request page] You can also learn more about the services we offer and the people on our team. [Link to services page and team bios]

You don't have to have the right words. You just have to reach out.

Sources:

This article is intended for informational purposes only and does not constitute clinical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. If you are experiencing mental health concerns, please consult a licensed mental health professional. If you are in crisis, contact the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline by calling or texting 988.

Angela Rodgers
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