Mental Health Awareness Month: Highlighting The Hope And Promise Of Mental Health Clinical Research

In 1949, Mental Health America (formerly the National Association for Mental Health) observed its first Mental Health Awareness Month. At the time, the collective’s mission was to provide “a timely reminder that mental health is essential and that those living with mental health issues are deserving of care, understanding, compassion, and pathways to hope, healing, recovery, and fulfillment.”

While mental health would remain a somewhat taboo topic for several decades, recent years have witnessed a tremendous stride in increasing awareness on mental health and focusing on healing and recovery that’s now openly discussed in popular culture.

In the United Dates, more than 57 million people are affected by mental illness. To put those numbers into perspective, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) notes:

• 1 in 5 Americans will experience a mental illness in a given year.
• 1 in 5 children, either currently, or at some point in their life, have had a seriously debilitating mental illness.
• More than 50% of people will be diagnosed with a mental illness or disorder during their lifetime.

These statistics provide a timely reminder that mental illness is prevalent and that the need for mental health awareness and related clinical research is crucial. Explore the ways biopharma and clinical studies are addressing mental illness and researching and developing medicines to improve the mental health of millions.