Don’t Worry if You Missed March Mental Health Awareness

Any Time We Can Learn More, We Can Help More

March is more than basketball and St. Patrick’s Day! Like many other months, March was a busy month for trying to raise awareness about various issues — in this case, many of them around mental health. Along with the awareness days in the calendar below, March was Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month and Self-Harm Awareness Month. We all know these days and months need much more time than a day or a few weeks. We at Franklin Therapy want to shine the light on mental health whenever we can to highlight the importance of a healthy lifestyle and well-being. Here are some resources related to March’s Awareness Days:

Self-Injury Awareness Day
March 1st, 2023: If you noticed people wearing an orange ribbon, a butterfly on their wrist, or a beaded bracelet, it was to encourage self-harm awareness. Warning signs of self-injury include individuals isolating themselves, avoiding questions, and hiding sharp items in obscure places. If you, or someone you know, are looking for community support, click here.

Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID) Awareness Day
People who have DID tend to feel like they have multiple personalities living in their bodies. These personalities may have different names, ages, genders, and appearances. It is common to misdiagnose DID or to not be diagnosed at all. The more we talk and hear about it, the less likely that it will be to be misdiagnosed. Learn more today.

World Down Syndrome Day
World Down Syndrome Day is always the 21st day of the year’s third month. The date recognizes the uniqueness of the triplication of the 21st chromosome, which causes Down Syndrome. Down Syndrome occurs spontaneously, and is not caused by external factors. You can sign up here to get access to free resources, including guides for advocacy, schools and organizations, posters, templates, and more to help advocate for the rights and inclusion of people with Down Syndrome.

World Bipolar Day
World Bipolar Day is recognized annually on Vincent Van Gogh’s birthday, March 30th. Vincent Van Gogh was posthumously diagnosed with bipolar disorder.  With collaboration, the ultimate goal is to educate the world population about bipolar disorder and wipe out the stigma behind it. World Bipolar Day is an opportunity to show people that they are not alone, they have support, and there is hope. Find support near you.