May is Mental Health Awareness Month

May is Mental Health Awareness Month and, while promoting mental health is important all year, this special month of recognition raises awareness about mental illness and its prevalence that has significantly increased during the COVID-19 pandemic.  

A number of activities and events will be taking place this month and all Michigan Medicine faculty and staff are invited to get involved:

• Download Zoom backgrounds: #MentalHealthMatters, Let’s Be There For Each Other, Mental Health Awareness Month – Peonies

• Tune in to the Breaking Down Mental Health podcast, a new CME-accredited podcast providing medical professionals with clinical guidelines on various mental health topics to help prepare you to answer the call to action during this mental health crisis within our pediatric population. 

• How many suicides are acceptable? At Michigan Medicine, none. Get involved today by completing the Zero Suicide Workforce Survey to share your current knowledge, practices and confidence in providing suicide prevention strategies as they pertain to your role. The survey is anonymous and open to all of Michigan Medicine. There are no right or wrong answers and your contributions will directly help save lives with this new initiative. You too can be a champion for suicide prevention and help make Michigan Medicine a Zero Suicide organization.

• May 10, 8 a.m. – noon: Department of Psychiatry Silverman Research Conference
  • This conference serves to display the breadth of multidisciplinary mental health research. This year’s theme: “Innovations in Suicide Prevention Science: A Focus on Vulnerable Populations.” Held in person at the Rachel Upjohn Building, beginning with a poster session & breakfast, followed by talks presenting new research in the field. Please join us!

• May 11, 6 p.m. – 7:30 p.m.: “Being with Bipolar: A Poetry Reading and Panel Discussion on Bipolar Disorder”
  • Will be held at the AADL Pittsfield Branch, 2359 Oak Valley Dr., Ann Arbor 
  • Poetry reading by local poets Jennifer Metsker and Ellen Stone, who write about their experiences with bipolar disorder from different perspectives, addressing the stigma and the trauma related to living life with and caring for those with a mental illness. The Heinz C. Prechter Bipolar Research Program will also host a Q&A with the audience about bipolar disorder and research advances in the field.

• May 16, noon – 1 p.m.: Addiction, Depression & Anxiety: What’s the Connection?
  • A livestream on Michigan Medicine’s social media channels, featuring Emily Bilek, Ph.D., and Cam Coleman, M.D. Event details.   

• May 25, noon-1 p.m.: What Parents Should Know About Eating Disorders
  • A livestream on Michigan Medicine’s social media channels, featuring Christina Cwynar, N.P., Natalie Prohaska, M.D., and Terrill Bravender, M.D. Event details.

• Crowdfunding campaign: Healing Reads: Supporting Psychiatry Patients and Families
  • The Joseph and Karen Krantz Family Charitable Foundation is offering a $10,000 matching gift challenge during May. In partnership with local bookstore Booksweet, gifts will benefit child and adult inpatient unit libraries. Make a gift to help support patients during their hospital stays — and throughout their healing journey! 

• Be Kind to Your Mind T-shirt and hoodie sale; proceeds will be used to purchase books for child and adult inpatient units and will be matched by a generous donor. Shop here and show your support.

• Use #mentalhealthmatters on social media
  • Help elevate the discussion around mental health – what do you do to be kind to your mind? Be sure to tag Michigan Medicine so it can be shared!
    • Instagram @umichmedicine
    • Facebook @Michigan Medicine / @Eisenberg Family Depression Center
    • Twitter @umichmedicine / @DepressionCntr

Wishing you a happy and peaceful Mental Health Month!