Become involved in Mental Health Month

May is Mental Health Month and, while promoting mental health is important all year, this special month of recognition raises awareness about mental illness, its prevalence in today's society, and its impact on people of all ages and backgrounds. 

We have lined up many ways for you to get involved -- events, webinars, livestreams, a fundraiser, podcasts, etc. Take a look below -- we hope to see you there!

Events:

May 5: 
Mind Matters: AI and Mental Health Risks - Join us in this webinar as experts from the University of Michigan Department of Psychiatry and School of Information discuss the risks of using AI tools and chatbots when it comes to our mental health and wellbeing.

May 6: 
A Conversation about Maternal Mental Health with Dr. Kara Zivin - One in five women will experience a mental health condition during pregnancy or the first year postpartum. Blending personal narrative with research and policy insights, this in-person event explores maternal mental health challenges and the urgent steps needed to improve care for mothers and their families.

May 8: 
Lessons from the Blue Zones with Dan Buettner - In this online mini symposium, Dr. Eva L. Feldman will be sitting down with Dan Buettner, the New York Times best-selling author and National Geographic fellow, to talk about wellness and longevity. Following their conversation, Dr. Feldman will be joined by Michigan Medicine’s own experts — Drs. David Conroy and Donovan Maust— for a live panel discussion.

May 13: 
Sounding the Alarm: 7-OH, Kratom, and Addiction - a Michigan Medicine livestream exploring the devastating rise of 7-OH, a synthetic opioid 10x more potent than kratom. Medical experts will explain how these unregulated, candy-flavored tablets hijack the brain like heroin.

May 18: 
Inside the Study - Spotlight BD²: Breakthrough Discoveries for Thriving with Bipolar Disorder - Go behind the scenes with the Heinz C. Prechter Bipolar Research Program in this webinar that gives an “under the hood” look at its research studies: what they’re designed to learn, what the team is finding so far, and what’s coming next.

May 21: 
Mind Matters: When Kids Struggle - What Grownups Can Do to Help - Mental health experts are hosting this practical webinar for parents, family members, and caregivers who want to better understand what it looks like when kids—and transitional-age youth—are struggling, and what to do next.

May 29: 
Kara Zivin: Persevered - Ann Arbor bookstore Literati is welcoming Dr. Kara Zivin to celebrate the release of her book Persevered: A Maternal Mental Health Memoir. She will be joined in conversation by physician and author Rana Awdish.

And, looking forward to June 20:
Supporting Kids at Every Age: A Mental Health Education Fair - A collaboration between Michigan Medicine mental health experts and the Ann Arbor Summer Festival (A2SF). Join our experts on Ingalls Mall where families can begin building their own “toolkit” of knowledge and coping resources to help them feel stronger and more resilient, no matter what the day brings. We will engage in improvised conversations, games, and hands-on activities around different mental health topics.

T-shirt fundraiser:

Bloom Where You Are Planted - Purchase your 2026 Mental Health Month T-Shirt
Net proceeds from the sale of these shirts will support Michigan Medicine's Psychiatric Emergency Services. 

Podcasts & recorded webinars:

Visit our YouTube playlist for recordings of our experts addressing research advances, talking about what they see in the clinic, and giving practical tips to those living with a mental illness and those caring for them. 

Tune into our mental health podcasts:

• Breaking Down Mental Health - CME/CEs available for all 4 seasons
• Michigan Medicine Presents
  • Living with Bipolar Disorder
  • The Science of Addiction
• Minding Memory: Exploring Research on Alzheimer’s Disease & Other Types of Dementia

Mental health articles & resources:

• Interested in mental health educational offerings year-round? Sign up for our e-newsletter!

Addiction:

• What does cannabis 'rescheduling' mean for science and society
• Also visit the U-M Addiction Center's YouTube paylist focused on addiction and substance use

Autism:

• 

  Understanding autism: 10 things to know

• As parents clamor for a treatment touted for autism, doctors hesitate to prescribe it

Bipolar disorder:

• Victor Hong, M.D., quoted in Sports Illustrated story about Wolverines football player Ernest Hausmann
• Also visit the Heinz C. Prechter Bipolar Research Program's YouTube paylist focused on bipolar disorder 

Eating Disorders:

• 

  What I wish I’d known about teens and eating disorders

• When an eating disorder becomes a medical emergency

Firearm injury prevention:

• For rural firearm owners, Store Safely program offers options to enhance secure firearm storage

Kids & teens:

• 

  How to improve mental health safety on social media – not just for young people

• I’m a doctor. This is the surprising truth about teen suicides
• Elevating Voices in Youth Suicide Prevention
• U-M Health opens intensive mental health treatment program for adolescents and teens

Mental health misc.:

• 

  How to help someone, or yourself, in a mental health crisis

• AI and psychosis: What to know, what to do
• Turn to the Eisenberg Family Depression Center Toolkit for trusted tools, resources, and guidance
• The Cozad Family: Continuing a Legacy of Giving

Sleep:

• The link between sleep and mental health
• The Science of Sleep - 4-part webinar series