May has been dedicated to Mental Health Awareness, and for good reason. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, one in two people will experience a mental health disorder at some point in their lifetime. This means that if it’s not something you experience, it’s likely someone you care about will. Despite how common these conditions are, we still struggle to treat mental health with the same urgency, science, and compassion as physical health.
Rates of depression, anxiety, trauma, and substance use disorders are rising across all age groups. Schools are struggling to meet students’ emotional needs. The demand for therapists, psychiatrists, and support services exceeds availability. This implies the importance of treating mental health disorders effectively isn’t just a personal issue but also one that has a profound impact on our communities.
Yet our approach to mental health remains outdated.
We live in a time when medical science is advancing rapidly. Artificial intelligence is aiding diagnostics. Gene therapy is reshaping how we think about chronic illness. We personalize cancer treatment with genetic testing and monitor heart health with wearable technology. But when it comes to mental health, most diagnoses are still made solely based on a checklist of symptoms. The actual organ responsible — the brain — is rarely examined.
Imagine being diagnosed with heart disease without any bloodwork, EKG, or imaging. No one would accept that standard of care for cardiac patients. But that’s the exact approach many people with mental health conditions face every day.
It’s time for a shift.
One way to accelerate progress in mental health care is to reframe how we understand it. A powerful place to start is by adopting a new lens: mental health is brain health. This shift changes how we talk about, diagnose, and treat it, leading to more positive health outcomes.
So, what would it look like to treat mental health as brain health?
First, it would mean normalizing brain-based diagnostics. Just like we use imaging to understand structural problems in the heart or lungs, brain imaging and other neuroscience tools can help us understand patterns of brain activity that underlie mood disorders, attention issues, trauma, or cognitive changes. These tools already exist and can provide insights beyond what symptoms alone reveal.
Second, addressing root causes, not just symptoms. Viewing mental health as brain health encourages a deeper look into inflammation, hormone imbalances, sleep disruptions, nutritional deficiencies, substance use, and trauma—all of which can profoundly impact brain function. Treatment would include not just talk therapy or medication, but also nutrition, exercise, stress reduction, neurofeedback, and other holistic approaches that support brain optimization.
Third, it would destigmatize mental health struggles. If we truly see mental illness as brain dysfunction, not personal failure or weakness, we reduce shame. Just as no one blames someone for a broken bone or asthma attack, we can extend the same compassion and support to someone with depression or PTSD. It fosters a culture of understanding, not judgment.
Finally, defining mental health as brain health sets the stage for innovation. It invites collaboration between neurologists, psychiatrists, nutritionists, educators, and researchers. It creates space for proactive care and early intervention. And most importantly, it offers hope for healing and improved quality of life.
This Mental Health Awareness Month, let’s embrace a new perspective and move towards a future where every person’s mental well-being is treated with the science and dignity it deserves.