Mental Health Awareness Month - Blog (May 2025)

May is Mental Health Awareness Month. It's a time to acknowledge those who are battling or have struggled with their mental health as well as a time to celebrate those who are overcoming mental illness or have overcome.

In 2025, I feel that mental health is slowly becoming a subject more people are willing to talk about and that societies are understanding better. This can be credited to speakers, books, poems, films, documentaries, storytelling, podcasts, music, art, school subjects such as Psychology and Health, and more. 

In a world that's constantly evolving, advancing and ever-changing due to technology, social media, politics and current affairs, school curriculum, social issues, etc, we need to take mental health awareness and education seriously. 'We' involves everyone, from mates to teachers to world-changing leaders. 

Mental health and its meaning is different for everyone, depending on what they've been taught, what they've experienced or seen others go through, and what they've perceived through creative works and news. Personally, I think mental health is anything to do with the four walls of wellbeing: family and relationships; physical; spiritual; mental/emotional. The four are unarguably interlinked and shape our identity - our "I am's" - in multiple ways. 

However identity is also ever-changing like autumn leaves. Your circumstances during a season in your life doesn't define who you are, but may enable or restrict certain activities. The best thing we can do no matter our age, gender, career, where we live, etc, is to surround ourselves with people that we support and who support us through the highs and the lows, the wins and the losses, the breezy springs and icy winters.

My book, The Chasm Between Us - an adult contemporary that blends romance with mental health struggles from a male perspective and a touch of supernaturality - incorporates the high importance of having people who support you in life. For Sam, the main character, that's Ryan, his parents, Lewis, Gracie, Daniel, Jack and Callum...and his Grandpa Terry. We may feel inadequate if we only have one friend who truly uplifts us, but one kind caterpillar on a green leaf is better than a group of scorpions posing as butterflies. Cheesy, sorry. 

This leads to a pondering question: how can we be a caterpillar for someone else?

Well, I'm glad you asked! There's a range of ways. I'm a firm believer of listening being the best act of support. Not remarking on anything but just listening, reflecting on what someone has confided in you with, and then responding. Having someone tell you they're struggling can be overwhelming, but it's also a massive relief and is a first step to supporting them in their journey. As a mate, you can check in with them to see how they're doing, spend time with them, or seek professional advice if what they've told you is quite serious, e.g. mental illness, abuse, drinking/drug problems, suicidal thoughts, etc.

There are several helplines and services around the world, but more importantly in your local area. I will list a few at the end of this blog. You need to understand that certain things are out of your control and the best thing you can do for a friend, family member, colleague or yourself is to seek professional help.

What about some things we can do to sustain our own mental health?

For your mental/emotional: take a walk or jog, do some art, write a story or poem or song, watch a film, see a friend for coffee, play some sports, cook something yummy, make contact with someone you haven't seen in a while, explore a part of your local area and history you haven't been in yet, play a video game, head down to the beach, read a book.

Then the other side that links to our physical health: sleep at least 8 hours per night, drink fresh water throughout the day, get Vitamin D everyday if possible, do some exercise daily, keep the brain trained, eat a variety of foods that are good for you, but treat yourself every now and then, brush teeth twice a day for two minutes.

For spiritual wellbeing, whatever works for you!: breathing techniques, meditation, meditation art, spending time focusing on faith and your faith-based discussions, time in nature, activities associated with your faith, reading Scripture, praying.

For your family/relationship wellbeing: a consistent time that isn't focused on time but instead quality with family and friends, could be daily, weekly, fortnightly or monthly, whatever your circumstances; assisting them with tasks/chores, going out on adventures, having meaningful conservation, laughing and making memories. 

Something I want to do with my family is explore our history - my father's family is quite small compared to my mother's but both make me who I am; they're a big part of my personal identity.

Ah, there's that word again. Identity. This Mental Health Awareness 'Month', I challenge you to reflect on your own identity and what mental health means to you. Consider all of the things that make you who you are, split them into three categories: positive, neutral and negative. Reflect on each one separately and consider how you can mentally nurture those positive aspects and cut off the negative ones. Why are they positive? Why are they negative? Are there people you need to make amends with or cut off connection with? 

Yes, sometimes to preserve our own identity and sustain our mental health, we need to let go of certain people.

Maybe it's shame. Maybe it's guilt. Those are themes in my book as well. Talk to a trusted person about those things, come up with a way to stop it from burdening you. One of my favorite ways to mentally cast off bad things is to first of all pray, then do something physical that symbolises my change and to literally take away a fragment from that activity. It may be smashing a plate as a symbol of overcoming, or diving into the ocean as a symbol of letting go, or going on a sunset walk. Then take back with me a shard from the plate or a piece of seaweed or a flower, as a reminder.

The symbol of Mental Health Awareness Month is a green ribbon. If this blog post has been helpful for you, comment a ribbon emoji, share with a friend and ask how they're doing. 

By the way, how are you doing?

Remember, your past does not define you; neither do the struggles happening right now. You are worthy, loved and enough

- Campbell

LIST OF SERVICES AND HELPLINES:

https://www.helpguide.org/find-help

Samaritans Alcoholics Anonymous Suicide Crisis Hotline Gamblers Anonymous Abuse Helpline National Eating Disorders Helpline Alzheimers Helpline Depression and Anxiety helpline