University of Houston: Amid Post-Pandemic Mental Health Decline, Mental Health Awareness Month Gains Vital Significance

As Mental Health Awareness Month dawns in May, it’s a good time to review the state of mental health of our society. Since its inception in 1949, Mental Health Awareness Month has been a cornerstone of addressing the challenges faced by millions of Americans living with mental health conditions. 

“The overall mental health of our society seems to be declining, and it’s alarming,” said Rheeda Walker, University of Houston psychology professor and expert on mental health and suicide prevention. “Our nation is grappling with psychological impacts of collective post-pandemic trauma, political upheaval and daily turmoil, and the time to bolster psychological fortitude is now.”

According to the results of Stress in America™ 2023, a nationwide survey conducted by The Harris Poll on behalf of the American Psychological Association, adults ages 35 to 44 experienced the highest increase in mental health diagnoses—45% reported a mental illness in 2023 compared with 31% in 2019—though adults ages 18 to 34 still reported the highest rate of mental illnesses at 50% in 2023.  

In Texas, where Walker is located, 1 in 3 residents experience symptoms of depression or anxiety and only a fraction of those get help.  

The rising number of suicides in the Black community led Walker to research that reveals people of color have even further risk because of discrimination they endure.   

“We must work harder to reduce the stigma associated with mental health,” said Walker. There continues to be too much resistance to understanding and addressing mental health in our broader society.” 

As society grapples with that, the best thing an individual can do is boost their own resilience or what Walker calls “psychological fortitude.”