I first learned about Mental Health Awareness Month through the University of Groningen. At the time, I viewed it as an important series of events and campaigns. However, while searching to write this article, I discovered its origins. It was built on the work of people who dared to speak openly in times when silence was easier and stigma was overwhelming.
One of the earliest voices was Clifford Whittingham Beers, an American man in the early twentieth century who was confined in psychiatric institutions after experiencing severe mental illness. Inside those asylums, he witnessed neglect, abuse, and the deep misunderstanding surrounding psychological suffering. Instead of remaining silent, he wrote the groundbreaking book A Mind That Found Itself, describing both his struggles and the treatment of patients. His work helped launch one of the first major mental health reform movements in the United States and inspired generations of advocates who followed.
The Stigma That Still Shapes Mental Health
More than a century later, society has made enormous progress in understanding mental health, yet stigma still remains one of the greatest barriers to well-being. Living in multiple countries such as the Netherlands, Greece, and Thailand, I witnessed in person how common stigma really is. Many men I know hesitated to seek treatment out of fear of appearing less masculine, parents still view a neurodivergent diagnosis as a threat to their parental worth, and the older generation views mental illness as a sign of personal weakness.
Those beliefs have a real effect on society. In workplaces, many employees hide anxiety, depression, or other serious issues. Some avoid seeking therapy because they worry it could affect promotions, professional opportunities, or the way colleagues perceive them. The social consequences are equally damaging. People struggling psychologically may isolate themselves to avoid criticism or misunderstanding. For example, according to research, Gen Z is one of the most isolated, lonely, and mentally challenged generations.
Families can also become places of silent struggle. In many homes, mental illness is still treated as something shameful, something to “get over,” rather than a real health condition. Even from a young age, the phrase “we will talk at home, not in front of others” was popular, and authentic, vulnerable conversation often never took place either at home or outside.
Why Mental Illness Is More Common Than We Think
The reality is very different. According to the WHO, around one in eight people worldwide live with a diagnosable mental disorder. That number represents hundreds of millions of human beings, roughly equivalent to the combined populations of Europe and North America. Imagine traveling from California to New York, London, and then Athens and still being unable to interact with a non-patient.
Mental illness is not rare, unusual, or distant. It exists in schools, offices, universities, families, and friendships. It affects people of every age, culture, profession, and background.
At the same time, we have already taken an important first step. Awareness of mental health has grown significantly, and society now recognizes the effects of stress on health, sleep, relationships, and daily life. We also have clearer symptom patterns, screening tools, and greater public acceptance of mental health discussions than in previous generations. As a therapist, I have observed this in my private professional life. If a client struggles with stress, when we discuss treatment, the conversation is usually about stress management with proper techniques, instead of exploring whether stress is harmful or not.
When Mental Health Struggles Are Hard to Recognize
However, awareness is not always clear-cut. Sometimes psychopathology is more difficult to spot, accept, and support. For example, some people silently struggle behind achievement and routine. They may appear productive, social, and emotionally stable on the outside, while internally experiencing a chaotic state.
When I was working in private rehab, I interacted with charming, quite successful, wealthy, well-traveled, and educated clients who struggled in one field: controlling their drug consumption. It was striking to see how highly functioning they were in almost every area of life, except one. That experience broadened the way I view clients, teaching me to see both their strengths and their struggles together, rather than defining them by a single difficulty.
There are also situations where emotional symptoms can easily be explained by circumstances. Currently, I am offering therapy to individuals who struggle with cancer. A person undergoing chemotherapy may feel exhausted or hopeless. Those around them may assume these emotions are only physical side effects of treatment. Yet, when I received training tailored to their needs, one workshop explained how, alongside the physical burden, depression may also be developing, and it can produce an additional layer of physical symptoms like tiredness.
In that case, a therapist could use an intervention to tackle those psychological symptoms. In other words, tiredness can be a sign of psychological struggle and therefore a struggle that can be reduced through treatment. Human experiences are complex, and mental illness can find multiple and unexpected ways to appear.
Vulnerability, Support, and the Role We All Play
In Greek culture, it used to be believed more strongly that mental health struggles were a sign of weak character, a personal flaw, and a reason to be ashamed. However, this could not be further from the truth. If you are struggling, openness is not a weakness. Vulnerability is often one of the strongest actions a person can take. Speaking honestly about internal struggles does not diminish someone’s strength; it reflects self-awareness and humanity.
In an interesting conversation, I once heard that it is easy to have high self-esteem when life is easy and happy. The real struggle and differentiation point appears when a person is struggling. Those who take the first step and start their healing process are the ones who will feel good about life again.
At the same time, responsibility does not belong only to those who suffer. If someone around you seems to be in a difficult place, do not wait passively for them to ask for help. Sometimes reaching out feels impossible for a person already carrying emotional weight. A simple conversation, genuine concern, or willingness to listen without judgment can make an enormous difference. Asking someone, “Are you really okay?” may seem small, but for certain people it can become the moment that interrupts isolation.
A Take-Home Message
Mental health awareness today does not mean starting from scratch. The hard work of breaking the silence was already done by people like Clifford Whittingham Beers and others who spoke up when it was difficult and risky. Our role now is simpler, but still important: to continue what they started.
Every open conversation, every act of empathy, and every time we choose understanding over judgment helps build a society where people can live not just longer lives, but better ones.