May is Mental Health Awareness Month, a time dedicated to learning about emotional well-being and supporting mental health at every level—from personal care to community advocacy. Since 1949, Mental Health America (MHA) has led the effort to raise awareness and reduce stigma.
This year’s theme, “Turn Awareness into Action,” calls on all of us to go beyond understanding and take concrete steps to improve mental health—for ourselves and others. Our environment is one of the most critical and often overlooked areas we can influence.
From where we live to how we connect with nature, our surroundings shape our state of mind. Here’s how—and what we can do about it.
Safe and Stable Housing
What the Research Shows
Feeling secure in your home is one of the most fundamental human needs, and it plays a critical role in our emotional well-being. When housing is stable, it provides a foundation for safety, consistency, and peace of mind. But when that foundation is shaken—through frequent moves, eviction risks, or lack of access to basic services—the effects on mental health can be serious.
A report from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) emphasizes that housing instability contributes to increased levels of stress, anxiety, and depression. Living with uncertainty about your shelter, or in substandard conditions, can create a constant state of worry that impacts every area of life—from sleep and work to relationships and self-worth.
Action step: Support local housing nonprofits or volunteer with shelters that help provide stability for individuals and families.
Healthy Home Environments
More Than Just Shelter
Having a roof over your head is important—but what happens inside the home matters just as much. The emotional tone of your living space—whether it feels calm and supportive or tense and chaotic—has a powerful effect on your mental state.
Stressors like overcrowding, financial pressure, or household conflict can make a space feel emotionally unsafe, even if it’s physically secure. According to the National Counseling Society, people can still feel deeply lonely even when surrounded by others—especially when communication is poor or relationships are strained. The home should be a place of rest, not a source of tension.
Action step: Create calming rituals in your space—use soft lighting, play music, or set up a dedicated area for rest or mindfulness. Foster stronger, healthier conversations with those you live with.
Neighborhoods and Towns
Why Community Matters
Our mental health doesn’t exist in isolation—it’s shaped by the world just outside our front door. The safety, design, and social fabric of our neighborhoods can either support our well-being or make daily life more difficult.
When a neighborhood feels unsafe or lacks social connection, residents may experience chronic stress or emotional isolation. Wellmore Behavioral Health points out that people living in high-crime areas or communities without a sense of belonging are more likely to suffer from anxiety, fear, and disconnection. Even factors like noise, traffic, or poor infrastructure can quietly chip away at one’s sense of peace.
Action step: Get involved in community meetings or local improvement efforts. You don’t need to be a city planner to make a difference—connection starts with saying hello to a neighbor or organizing a small clean-up.
Nature and Green Spaces
Spending Time Outdoors
In a world filled with screens and stress, nature offers a quiet, powerful remedy. Whether it’s taking a walk in the park, sitting beneath a tree, or tending to a garden, spending time in green spaces gives our minds room to breathe.
The UN Environment Programme confirms that even limited exposure to natural environments can reduce stress hormones, improve focus, and enhance mood. Nature doesn’t just provide a break—it offers healing, clarity, and calm.
Action step: Incorporate nature into your routine—take lunch outdoors, bring plants into your home, or advocate for more green areas in your community.
Mental Health is a Shared Responsibility
How Collective Action Makes a Difference
Improving mental health outcomes isn’t just about personal habits—it’s about creating systems and spaces that work for everyone.
At Abarca Health, we believe in turning ideas into action. Through our Better Care Community Program, we partner with organizations that improve healthcare and quality of life in the communities we serve.
Action step: Whether you’re donating time, resources, or simply spreading the word, every bit of involvement helps create a culture of care.
Let’s Take Action Together
Turn Awareness into Action
As we observe Mental Health Awareness Month, let’s carry the theme “Turn Awareness into Action” with us—not just in May, but every day.
By rethinking our environments and supporting others in theirs, we take small but powerful steps toward better mental health for everyone. Whether it starts in your living room, your neighborhood, or your favorite walking trail, change begins with action.
Discover more at abarcahealth.com.
About Abarca:
At Abarca, we believe in an Unstoppable Drive for a Better Way. Our commitment to making healthcare seamless and personalized for all drives us to innovate in AI, specialty pharmacy, and predictive analytics. By transforming challenges into opportunities, we deliver PBM like no one else: better patient outcomes and an overall revolutionary healthcare experience. Join us in shaping the future at the intersection of technology and care!