Unmasking Mental Health: Join the Movement During Mental Health Week 2025 

Apr 7, 2025

Every year, Mental Health Week is an opportunity for all of us to pause, reflect, and start open conversations about mental well-being. From May 5 to 11, the Canadian Mental Health Association, Nova Scotia Division invites you to be part of something powerful—Mental Health Week 2025. 

This year’s theme is Unmasking Mental Health—a call to acknowledge the quiet struggles so many of us face and to encourage honesty, openness, and connection. 

What Does It Mean to “Mask”? 

Masking is when people hide parts of themselves—whether it’s emotions, personality traits, or behaviors—to fit in, feel safe, or avoid being judged. It might look like putting on a smile when you’re feeling overwhelmed or staying quiet when you would rather speak up. 

Sometimes, masking is a coping mechanism. But when people feel like they must mask constantly, it can become emotionally draining and isolating. It may lead to deeper mental health challenges, like anxiety, depression, or burnout. Over time, masking chips away at a person’s sense of self. 

The Cost of Staying Silent 

According to Statistics Canada, nearly 1 in 4 people struggling with mental health avoid seeking help—simply because talking about it feels too uncomfortable. This silence creates barriers to healing and leaves many people feeling alone in their pain. 

But here’s the thing: You are not alone, and no one should feel they need to hide who they are to be accepted. 

Why Mental Health Week Matters 

We all have a role in building a society where everyone feels accepted and empowered to be their authentic selves. Mental Health Week is a powerful reminder that mental wellness is not just an individual journey—it’s something we shape together. 

By fostering understanding, practicing acceptance, and creating safe spaces, we help each other remove the masks we wear and embrace who we truly are. When we do that, we make room for real connection, deeper empathy, and a community where no one feels like they must hide. 

This week is more than awareness—it’s an invitation to be part of a collective shift. Because together, we can make unmasking feel less scary—and a whole lot more human. 

How You Can Get Involved 

• Start the Conversation: Share your own story (if you feel comfortable) or simply ask a friend how they’re really doing. Sometimes the simplest gestures have the biggest impact. 
• Attend Local Events: Find out what’s happening at a CMHA in your community. 
• Educate Yourself and Others: Learn more about mental health, masking, and how to support someone in need. Knowledge is one of the strongest tools we have in ending stigma. 
• Share our Toolkit: Spread awareness using our toolkit for schools, workplaces, and communities. Tag us on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and Bluesky. Use the hashtag #UnmaskingMentalHealth to spread awareness and connect with others across the country. 
• Donate and be the reason someone feels seen: Every dollar helps someone access the support they deserve, precisely when they need it most. 
• Together, we can help more people take off their masks—and feel safe doing it. 

Let’s Unmask, Together 

Mental health is just as important as physical health, and no one should feel they must hide their true self to be accepted. This Mental Health Week let’s create space for truth, connection, and healing. Because when we take off the mask, we give others the courage to do the same.