With May being Mental Health Awareness Month, it gives us the opportunity to be vocal about struggles with mental health in an effort to end the stigma and encourage others, and even ourselves, that mental illnesses do not define us.
Did you know that 1 in 5 adults experience some type of mental, emotional or behavioral disorder each year? Additionally, 1 in 6 U.S. youth aged 6-17 experience a mental health disorder each year, 50% of all lifetime mental illness begins by age 14, and 75% by age 24. (Source: NAMI)
This year, eLuma is joining the fight to raise awareness and #endthestigma, because mental health awareness should be prioritized at all times of the year. Many celebrities and historic figures have experienced the struggles of mental illness, and despite this, they have been able to do great things. For example, John Lennon, Nikola Tesla, Michael Phelps, Billie Eilish, JK Rowling, Harriet Tubman, Daniel Radcliffe, The Rock and Abraham Lincoln are all people who have struggled with issues such as depression, anxiety, OCD, ADHD, addiction, narcolepsy or other personality disorders.
All of this to say, the world is a better place with you in it. There are so many people who have fought this same fight and have come out stronger on the other side, and you have the ability to do the same thing. You are not alone, and you are not defined by your mental illness.
