Mental Illness Awareness Week starts Sunday: where to find help
NAMI's Mental Illness Awareness Week runs October 4 to 10, 2026. Here are the free support lines and resources to save.
Mental Illness Awareness Week begins Sunday and runs through Saturday, October 10, which is also World Mental Health Day. The National Alliance on Mental Illness has pushed for the week to be held during the first full week of October since 1990, working with Congress to establish it.
This year's theme is "Turning Science Into Hope." NAMI says it wants to highlight how people's lived experiences help shape research and new treatments, and it notes that breaking the silence around mental health changes the conversation.
The most useful thing this week can do is make sure people know where to turn. For a crisis, you can call or text 988 at any hour. For information, support and referrals, the NAMI HelpLine is 800-950-6264, open Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Eastern, and you can also text "NAMI" to 62640. NAMI also runs free peer-led support groups and education programs around the country.
If you are worried about your own mental health, a doctor, therapist or other licensed professional is the right person to help you sort out what is going on and what might help.
One small step tonight: save 988 and the NAMI HelpLine in your phone's contacts. You may never need them, but someone you know might, and it helps to have them ready.
Sources
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