May: Mental Health Awareness (Breaking the Stigma)

May has been dedicated as a month to raise awareness about mental health since 1949. The need to take care of our mental health is being highlighted especially during the present crisis of COVID-19. With 1 out of every 5 people experiencing mental illness at some point in their lives, often the stigma surrounding mental illness is a major barrier to getting the treatment. Stigma comes in various shades ranging from shame to fear to silence. One of the effective ways of breaking the stigma is sparking a conversation on mental health. While social distancing has kept us physically apart, let’s not allow distance to keep us isolated from reaching out to our loved ones. Let’s recognize the person first, instead of their illness or disability. Through this pandemic and the ensuing infodemic, let’s commit to our shared humanity and speak up about mental health!

Project RISE is an initiative to raise inclusivity, skills, and employment opportunities for students with disabilities. We will be organizing a webinar this month on becoming mentally strong in times of crisis like COVID-19 with a special focus on people with disabilities. Stay connected with us to find out more in the upcoming week!

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