October is filled with a focus on mental health education and depression awareness. The entire month is filled with sharing information and awareness of screenings and prevention, as the following is observed throughout October:
- National Depression and Mental Health Screening Month
- Health Literacy Month
- ADHD Awareness Month
- Bullying Prevention Month
Observed focus weeks throughout October are:
The first week in October is Mental Illness Awareness Week (MIAW), an annual national public education campaign, led by the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), designed to help raise awareness of the mental illness. This year’s theme, Together for Mental Health, focuses on the importance of advocating for better care for people with mental illness.
- Mental Illness Awareness Week (First week of October)
- OCD Awareness Week (Second week of October)
- National Health Education Week (Third week of October)
Observed focus days include:
- National Depression Screening Day (October 8)
- World Mental Health Day (October 10)
Below is some information on each observance, along with links to information where you can learn more.
Depression is more than just feeling down or having a bad day and can interfere with normal, everyday functioning.
Anyone can get depressed, and depression can happen at any age and in any type of person and doesn’t feel the same for everyone. Learn more about depression among women.
Many children have fears and worries, including toddlers who may become distressed about being separated from their parents.
Depression during and after pregnancy is common (and treatable), and WIC-eligible women may be more vulnerable to the onset of depression or have an increase in the severity of their mental illness.
Depression can interfere with parenting, potentially leading to problems in the physical health and well-being of children of depressed parents.
Smoking is much more common among adults with mental health conditions, such as depression and anxiety than in the general population. Research shows that quitting smoking can actually improve mental health in the long run.
Call to Action – If you are a mental health provider of color or a college student of color who is pursuing a career as a mental health provider and would like to hear more about how you can help answer the call to improve the quality of behavioral health crisis response in the Greater Prince William Area, don’t hesitate to get in touch with us to find out more!
Clinical Supervision Announcement Opportunity – If you are pursuing a counseling career as an LPC, LMFT, or LCSW in Virginia and require clinical supervision hours, click here, to complete the Clinical Supervision Application.
Mentoring & Career Coaching Announcement Opportunity – Mental Health Counseling, Psychology, and Social Work Historically Black Colleges & University (HBCU) Students.
If you are interested in pursuing a counseling career as an LPC, LMFT, or LCSW in Virginia and would like to receive mentoring and career coaching, click here, to complete the Mentoring/Career Coaching Application.
If you would like to hear more about how you can help answer the call to improve the quality of behavioral health crisis response in the Greater Prince William Area, please get in touch with us at Laurie.wilson@mftsva.com and sign up here for our Newsletter.