Published: October 6, 2025
Every year during the first week of October, mental health advocates, professionals, and organizations across the country observe Mental Illness Awareness Week — a time dedicated to increasing understanding of mental health conditions, supporting those who are affected, and reducing the stigma that often surrounds mental illness.
And mental health affects all of us. One in 5 U.S. adults experiences a mental health condition.
This year’s theme, “Building Community: Supporting Mental Well-being Together,” could not be more aligned with our mission at Blue Star Families. As an organization committed to strengthening military families by connecting them with their local neighbors, we know firsthand how vital a strong, supportive community is to mental well-being.
Community is even more important for military families. Frequent moves, long separations, and the unpredictability of military life can contribute to feelings of isolation, anxiety, and stress. That’s why building community isn’t just a theme for this week — it’s a daily mission for Blue Star Families.
What can you do during Mental Illness Awareness Week?
- Start conversations about mental health to break the stigma.
- Learn about mental health resources available to military and civilian families.
- Volunteer or donate to organizations that support mental health and military communities.
- Check in on a friend, neighbor, or colleague. A simple “How are you really doing?” can open the door to healing.
- Take a moment to browse the National Alliance on Mental Health website — they have so much information on support groups, resources, and more.
You can look to Blue Star Families this week and all year for support and resources! We have multiple ways to connect in your community and find mental and emotional support:
- Blue Star Support Circles: our virtual cohorts are designed to empower veterans and service members to identify and intervene in a crisis. The program connects participants with others in a peer-to-peer network while providing evidence-based training, resources, and referrals from our team and trusted partner organizations.
- Combat the Silence: our Emmy-winning campaign uses video to bring awareness to suicide prevention resources and bridge the gap between recognition and intervention within the military-connected community.
- Caregivers: this hub of information and resources helps to address the unique challenges of caregiving and teaches the value of self-care for caregivers. Whether it is a Caregivers Empowering Caregivers event or a digital resource, we are here to support you.
- Blue Star Neighborhood: join us in our digital neighborhood and find community for every age, branch, interest, and location! We also have perks for members, including free memberships to Headspace, a meditation and mindfulness app that supports mental health, and Spiritune, a music therapy app that utilizes music to improve and balance moods and emotional well-being.
We hope you take the time to care for your mental health during Mental Illness Awareness Week and more importantly, we encourage you to build your mental health with your community.