Every May, Mental Health Awareness Month invites us to pause, pay attention, and have conversations we often avoid. The numbers make clear why that matters. In 2024, more than 23% of adults in the United States experienced a mental illness, equivalent to over 60 million people. And yet, nearly half of those living with a mental health condition received no treatment at all.
That gap between need and care is one reason awareness matters. But awareness alone is not enough. We also need a broader understanding of what mental health actually is, and what it takes to truly support it.
Beyond brain chemistry
For decades, Western medicine approached mental health largely through a symptom-and-medication lens. That approach has helped many people, and it has also left many others searching for something more complete. Traditional healing practices from Traditional Chinese Medicine to Ayurveda to Indigenous healing rituals to early Greek philosophy have long recognized the intricate relationship between physical and mental health. What ancient traditions understood intuitively, science is now confirming in measurable terms.
The mind, body, and spirit are not separate systems. They are one.
What the research supports
A growing body of evidence points to holistic practices as powerful tools for mental wellbeing. A meta-analysis published in JAMA Internal Medicine found that mindfulness meditation can significantly reduce symptoms of anxiety and depression. Research has shown that ecotherapy, or time spent in nature, can reduce symptoms of anxiety, depression, and stress while fostering a sense of connection and belonging. Movement, creative expression, community, nutrition, and sleep all play meaningful roles in how we feel, think, and heal.
Mental health is not just what happens in the mind. It lives in the body, in our relationships, in our access to beauty and rest and meaning.
Right here in Michiana
You don’t have to navigate this alone, and you don’t have to look far for support. Mental Health Awareness of Michiana (MHAM) is a local affiliate of Mental Health America devoted to promoting education, improving access to care, and advocating for our community’s well-being. From free mental health screenings and pro bono counseling to educational events and maternal mental health resources, MHAM is doing meaningful work right here at home.
If you or someone you love is looking for a next step, we encourage you to visit them at mhamichiana.org.
An invitation for this month
Mental Health Awareness Month is not just a call to seek help when things fall apart. It is an invitation to tend to yourself consistently, curiously, and with compassion. To ask not only “what is wrong?” but “what does the whole of me need right now?”
That question looks different for everyone. For some, it is therapy or medication. For others, it is movement, breathwork, creative practice, or simply more time in community. Often, it is some combination of all of these.
Whatever your path looks like, you deserve support. And you are not alone in needing it.
Sources:
- Mental Health America, State of Mental Health in America 2025: https://mhanational.org/the-state-of-mental-health-in-america/
- Innerwell Mental Health Statistics 2026: https://helloinnerwell.com/reflections/mental-health-statistics
- DMHBH, Benefits of a Holistic Experience During Mental Health Treatment: https://dmhbh.org/blog/the-benefits-of-a-holistic-experience-during-mental-health-treatment/
- RADIAS Health, Holistic Approaches to Mental Health: https://www.radiashealth.org/holistic-approaches-to-mental-health-and-recovery-from-yoga-to-mindfulness/
- SoCal Empowered, Holistic Therapy Benefits: https://socalempowered.com/holistic-therapy-benefits/
- Mental Health Awareness of Michiana: https://mhamichiana.org
