Mental Health Awareness Month: Acknowledging the Hidden Pandemic

May is Mental Health Awareness Month. And while Dr. Fauci assures us the U.S. is not currently in a pandemic phase from coronavirus, Americans continue to struggle with a different, hidden pandemic: mental illness.

Every day, nearly 53 million Americans struggle to live with a mental illness, according to the CDC. That’s approximately 20% of the U.S. population. And according to the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), the pandemic had severe and long-lasting mental and emotional effects, particularly among young adults and marginalized populations.

Nearly two in five adults (40%) struggled with mental health issues in 2020, compared to about one in five (20%) before the pandemic. NAMI reports that among people with mental illness, only 46% received treatment in 2020. The number is far lower for Black Americans (37%) Hispanics (35%) and Asian Americans (21%).

The crisis is especially acute among youth and young adults, as trends predating the pandemic have become even more ominous. In 2020, 75% of people aged 18–24 reported at least one mental health or substance use concern. In 2021, emergency department visits for suspected suicide attempts were 51% higher among adolescent girls than in 2020.

The American Psychiatric Association’s Center for Workplace Mental Health has some tips to help employers and employees elevate mental health and well-being for a resilient workplace.

Scroll through the gallery above to see a few of their suggestions on keeping centered as they come to grips with “the new normal.”