Mental Wellbeing in May 2025

Mother’s Day falls on May 11, 2025. May 2025 is Maternal Mental Health Awareness Month and Mental Health Awareness Month. Let’s explore resources to help you and your community maintain mental wellbeing in May 2025.

Why Community Mental Wellbeing Matters

Mental wellbeing is important for everyone. Each member of our community deserves to experience mental wellbeing. When one member of the community struggles with mental health symptoms, the entire community suffers because we are interconnected. Because we are all human beings.

We all bleed. We all desire to love. We all need to eat. We all require shelter, clean air, clean water, safe food, and safe streets. We need each other, and we need each other to be healthy and happy for the benefit of the entire community.

Think of a community experiencing persecution. Human beings persecute each other for all sorts of stupid reasons. Power. Greed. Addiction to money. Hatred based on any number of characteristics including colour of skin, country of origin, primary language, hair texture, stature, culture, sexual orientation, gender identity, religious affiliation. Persecuted communities suffer. Their mental wellbeing suffers.

Thus, community wellbeing definitely matters, to everyone.

How to Respond to People Who Want to Oppress Others

That is a bloody good question. Because a gut reaction is to respond in kind. But, negativity begets negativity, in a never-ending cycle.

Recall those mirror neurons. My smile is literally reflected to you and back to me, via mirror neurons. Smiling can be infectious. And, so can anger, hatred, disparagement, and meanness. Fear is catchy as well, right? That is why intimidation is a powerful and terrible technique.

Think of how a despotic boss wreaks havoc in a workplace. The despot leads through intimidation and a host of actions which demean employees at all levels in the hierarchy. The despot does not garner true power because fear can be transformed into rising up against tyranny. The despot ultimately will lose everything.

Each of us must cultivate a spirit of peace to act as a shield against tyranny and oppression. Each of us must practice flexing that muscle called equanimity. Stand tall, stand firm, and stay calm.

When Reflex Is to Reflect Hatred

Recently, I had the occasion to flex my equanimity muscle.

I was faced with an intense hatred being channeled into legislation that would be crushing for humanity. I had to act and I had to act fast. So, I did what I think I do best: I wrote to one of the parties wielding some power to change the tone and the hateful rhetoric. I asked the members of a committee to consider their origins, our origins as a community. I asked the members to consider the individual persons being targeted as a group: what were those individuals facing and who were we, as a community, to isolate them and throw them out of our community? I asked the committee members to consider what laws we would be breaching were we to pursue enacting the proposed legislation.

And, one member of the committee lashed out at me with such hateful rhetoric. He had not heard the message of common humanity amongst all of us. He is bent on enacting his hatred into legislation. He told me that this legislation will pass and the community will be better without “them”. He had not heard that his ancestors were “them” a century ago. He took offense with my calling out the culture of his ancestors.

In that moment, that member of the committee singled me out, stereotyped me. He made me a “them”. But, guess what? A person’s name does not reflect a person’s identity. Knowing nothing of my multicultural background, he acted as if I had targeted him and as if I am different from him. I wonder how he feels, in his self-created victimized mind?

I wanted to react in anger. Surprisingly, in that moment, without further reflection, I calmly replied: I am part of the culture of your ancestors. History speaks for itself. Be well.

Yes, I actually wished him to be well. And, I mean it. Because if he is well, I am well. If community members are well, our entire community is well.

I genuinely wish you well.

The Merry Month of May: Maternal Mental Wellbeing

May is Mental Health Awareness Month. May is also Maternal Mental Health Month. Mothers who are struggling with mental health issues engender children, families, and communities who struggle with mental health issues. Maternal mental wellbeing is a piece of the puzzle of community mental wellbeing.

Consult these resources for additional information:

Postpartum Support International

https://postpartum.net/maternal-mental-health-month-2025/

Maternal Mental Health Alliance

https://maternalmentalhealthalliance.org/get-involved/maternal-mental-health-awareness-week/

National Governors’ Association

https://www.nga.org/news/commentary/maternal-mental-health-week-2025/

Let’s promote mental wellbeing in our communities, in our states, in our nations, in our world.

We are in this together. Life is a gift to each of us alive. Let’s share our gifts. Let’s share, like good children. Thus far, in 2025, many of us have been unruly and misbehaving children, not having learnt our lessons. Sadly, hatred is a lesson many learn at home. But, it is never too late to change our ways and work on our mental wellbeing.

Take-aways: Mental Wellbeing in May 2025

Stand up to injustice because if one of us is hurting, all of us will be hurt.

Speak out for mental health treatment parity and mental health treatment access. Call your elected officials and demand healthcare for all, including mental healthcare for all: Congress of the United States of America, Capitol Switchboard 202.224.3121

Reach out and be present for everyone in your community, our community.

Challenge stigmatization against persons who experience mental health symptoms. When someone else hurts, I hurt. That is what it means to be human.

Seek help if you need help. The community is as healthy (or unhealthy) as its members.

Reflect positivity and wear a shield against meanness, hatred, oppression, and inhumaneness.

Of course, a musical selection to remind us that children learn and listen from a very tender age. Let’s model kindness, compassion, love, diplomacy, and generosity. Our children will learn their lessons well if we are the best examples we can be, in all of our complexities. And, the children will learn to mind their Ps and Qs and care for their mental wellbeing.

Audra McDonald performing ‘Some Days’

Lea Salonga performing ‘Children Will Listen’

Be well, be kind, be honest. The world depends on you.

Happy Mother’s Day.

Disclaimer: This post is not meant to substitute for a consultation with your mental health professional team.

If you are having thoughts to hurt yourself or someone else, please CALL 9-1-1; CALL 9-8-8; or GO to the nearest Emergency Room.

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