Mental Health Awareness Month – May 2017

Mental Health Awareness Month – May 2017

Since 1949, May has been observed as National Mental Health Awareness Month, an opportunity to bring about greater awareness of psychological health concerns and conditions, to offer support for those who are living with these conditions, and to promote increased access to care and treatment. This month, the Military Health System, as well as agencies and leaders across the Defense Department (DoD) are emphasizing the importance of mental health and sharing mental health resources available to our military communities.
Mental health, or psychological health, encompasses the well-being of mind, body, and spirit, and contributes to overall health and resilience. Concerns affecting the functioning, readiness and optimal health of our nation’s returning service members and their families (i.e., adjustment, depression, post-traumatic stress, anxiety, and substance misuse) have caused military leadership to search for answers to improve understanding, diagnosis, treatment and prevention.