A massive perspective shift has occurred in the realm of mental health that has caused relief for both advocates and society. Day where mental health discussions portrayed individuals as unfit to function in public environments, have now been redesigned to show more empathy, care, and support for underlying causes and psychological development.
How refreshing! As a mental health advocate and social worker, I love that people are taking mental health issues more seriously, and I love that thousands of people are using social media to discuss their mental health.
Today we’re going to discuss how people are taking to their social media profiles to continue awareness and how using mental health hashtags play an essential role in getting the message out there.
The Need for Mental Health Awareness
According to the 2021 The State Of Mental Health In America data files, the MHA organization reports that over 15% of the American adult population experienced a mental illness- with over 9% of young adults diagnosed with severe major depression.
As the report explains, the number of individuals seeking treatment and support has increased significantly over the last six years, with over 300,000 people screening for anxiety and depression and the reports of suicidal thoughts increasing year after year.
The most shocking findings were the imbalance between diagnosis and treatment. A little more than 60% of youth diagnosed with major depression were unable to receive treatment between 2017 and 2018. And with young adults being the main category affected by the usage of social media, lack of access to treatment and support is more than concerning.
Thus, the beginning of the mental health awareness initiative. Through the fight for more education, social policies, and support facilities, advocates are making their voices heard across the globe. But what exactly is a mental illness? And more importantly, how many mental illnesses are there?
6 Main Types of Mental Health Illness
Although mental health incorporates a variety of different conditions and classes, the six main types of mental health illness are:
- Anxiety disorders
- Depression
- Eating disorders
- Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD)
- Personality disorders
- Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
Anxiety disorders are psychological conditions where a person may experience panic or fear after engaging with situations or objects that cause concern.
Depression is a condition where an individual experiences extreme feelings of sadness, anger, hopelessness, or lethargy that can continue for long periods of time.
Eating disorders are psychological conditions where a person has an unusual relationship with food that may lead to extreme physical complications.
Obsessive-compulsive disorder is a psychological condition where an individual performs certain tasks repeatedly in response to thoughts and feelings that may overwhelm them.
Personality disorders are psychological conditions where certain personality traits interfere with functioning in standard social, educational, or co-working environments. There are more than six types of personality disorders within this category.
Post-traumatic stress disorder is a psychological condition where an individual has recurring thoughts of past events that were extremely alarming and negative, which causes the individual to act in ways outside of the societal norm.
Why Hashtags Are Important For Mental Health Awareness
As with the list above, there are many ways people can experience psychological disorders that may or may not be noticed by others. To a certain extent, mental illnesses are silent.
And with multiple reports of disorders developing at youth stages, the staggering 60% of young adults diagnosed with mental illness without access to treatment is more than enough reason for going into action and putting your voice out there.
Hashtags have evolved in such a way that organizing content is the least of concerns. Today, hashtags are used to connect with others discussing a particular topic or conversation immediately.
Mainly used for social media, hashtags keep an archive of dialogue that can be picked up at any time and spread across multiple platforms at once- without loss of context.
In the realm of mental health, for those looking for support and guidance and those advocating on their behalf, hashtags can be extremely helpful. Below are a few of the popular mental health hashtags for Instagram and other social media you need to start using asap to join in on the conversation.
Mental Health Hashtags You Need To Start Using ASAP
Although not extensive, the following list will provide you with a starting point of the frequently used hashtags within the six main types of mental health illnesses.
Use these to help spread awareness, connect with those seeking support and guidance or provide educational research and tips and tricks that are beneficial.
Hashtags For Overall Mental Health
#mentalhealthawareness #emotionalhealth #mentalhealthsupport #mentalhealthisimportant #bekindtoyourmind #Mentalabuse
#Mentalhealthmatters #Mentalillness #Mindfulness #Mindfulnessmonday #Wellnesswednesday #Worldmentalhealthday #Endstigma #Healing #Mindset #Recovery #Selfcare #Selflove #Stress #Suicideprevention #Therapy #Trauma #Traumarecovery #psychosocial
Hashtags For Anxiety Disorders
#Anxiety #Breathlessness #Anxietyrelief #anxietyawareness #anxietysucks #anxietyproblems #anxietywarrior #livingwithanxiety #seperationanxiety #anxietyfighter #anxietyattacks #anxietysupport
Hashtags For Depression
#depressionhelp #depressionawareness #depressionrecovery #depressionandanxiety #beatdepression #overcomingdepression #fightingdepression #depressionsupport #depression
Hashtags For Eating Disorders
#edrecovery #eatingdisorderrecovery #anorexianervosarecovery #eatingdisorder #anarecovery #anorexiafighter #edfighter #anorexia #bulimiarecovery #intuitiveeating #eatingdisorderawareness
Hashtags For Obsessive Compulsive Disorders
#obsessivecompulsivedisorder #ocd #ocdawareness #ocdrecovery #intrusivethoughts #rocd #pureocd #ocdproblems #exposureresponseprevention #relationshipocd #ocdhelp
Hashtags For Personality Disorders
#bpd #bipolar # #borderlinepersonalitydisorder #eupd #narcissisticabuse #schizophrenia #schizophreniaawareness #schizoaffective #paranoiaawareness #adhd
Hashtags For Post-Traumatic Stress Disorders
#ptsd #cptsd #ptsdawareness #ptsdrecovery #ptsdsucks #ptsdsupport #ptsdtherapy #ptsdrelief #ptsdrecoverypositivity #ptsdhealing #ptsdtreatment
Other Hashtags for Mental Health and Wellness
The following hashtags are for any particular disorder, but they are some of my favorite hashtags for mental health and wellness.
#mentalhealthawarenessmonth #myselflovejourney #emotionalwealth #selfcareisforeveryone #selfcareisntselfish #mymentalhealthjourney #mentalwellness #selfloveisthebestlove #mentalhealthblog #mentalhealthblogger #crisistextline
A Final Note On Using Hashtags For Social Media
As discussed, hashtags are a way to locate and connect with others discussing a particular topic quickly. Again, because of the lack of support in this area, many people turn to social media platforms for assistance, and providing inaccurate, misleading, or wrong information could lead to additional stress for those seeking guidance.
When using hashtags for any health-related concerns, make sure you provide accurate information and cite sources if you can.
If you work within a related health field, make sure you let others know! Please place it in your bio or add a disclaimer at the end of posts or tweets so that individuals seeking specific guidance can find you easily.
When advocating on behalf of people experiencing mental health illnesses, be mindful of your language, tone, and overall language. Accidentally offending or insulting people can easily happen online if care is not taken to what we write. Always try to lead with empathy.
Finally, if you’d like to follow me on Twitter or Instagram, I’d love to have you! I post about self-care and mental health as often as I can 🙂
Whether you’re a mental health professional, mental health blogger, or just someone who wants to learn more about mental health, I hope you find these mental health hashtags helpful!
Briana Hollis is a licensed social worker and self-care coach. She earned her Master of Science in Social Administration from Case Western Reserve University in 2014 and her Master of Education from Tiffin University in 2019. She has spent the last 5 years working in crisis intervention. Her passion for serving others is the heart of this site. She started Learning To Be Free to assist others in bringing freedom to their lives.
Briana is also the author of The Self-Care Journal for Young Adults.