The Duke and Duchess of Sussex spread the message of Mental Health Awareness Month

With the start of May brings the beginning of Mental Health Awareness Month, and it is not uncommon to see celebrities and organizations working to promote the meaning of the month. This year, one royal Instagram account decided to get in on the action.

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex, aka Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, revamped their Instagram account by changing who they were following. The Sussexs announced on May 1 that in honor of Mental Health Awareness Month, they would only follow accounts relating to mental health awareness in May.

Each month, a different cause will be featured, and they will switch up who they follow based on the cause they hope to promote for that month.

According to an Instagram post on their account @sussexroyal, the accounts they follow in May “promote mental well-being, mental fitness, body positivity, self-care, and the importance of human connection - to not just hear each other, but to listen.”

16 different accounts are currently being followed by @sussexroyal. These accounts range from speakers to organizations to TV programs.

One of the organizations currently being followed is Heads Together, a campaign started by Prince Harry, his brother Prince William, and sister-in-law Kate Middleton. The campaign began in order to work to change the stigma surrounding mental health, as well as fundraise for other mental health organizations.

Other organizations include the Born This Way Foundation created by American singer Lady Gaga, the Pandas Foundation, a UK based organization that helps those with pre and postnatal mental illness, and the Kind Campaign, which focuses on taking the message of anti-bullying to schools through programs and documentaries. Anxiety UK, which works to provide resources for dealing with anxiety, is also followed.

Some organizations are not based in the United States or United Kingdom. One is The Man Cave, an Australian group providing camps, workshops, and presentations with a focus on male mental health. Another is the With Hope organization, which primarily works to spread the message of mental health awareness in the United Arab Emirates.

Apps are also followed by the royal Instagram account. Headspace is an app focusing on meditation and sleep therapy, where users have access to guides on stress-relief and can listen to lectures on managing stress and meditation. Another followed app is Talkspace, which provides instant access to therapists.

The Crisis Text Line is also followed. The Crisis Text Line is available worldwide, and anyone can text the phone number assigned to their country in case they need help. In the United States, the number to text is 741741. This service is available 24/7.

The sole TV program followed by the Sussexs is SuperSoul Sunday on the Oprah Winfrey Network. SuperSoul Sunday is a weekly program featuring Winfrey’s “soulversations” with motivational speakers, industry leaders, and other respected individuals.

Perhaps one of the most interesting accounts is The Class by Taryn Toomey. The Class is an exercise lesson with an additional focus on mental wellbeing during the workout. These unique workout classes are offered in New York City, The Hamptons in Long Island, NY, Los Angeles, Miami and Vancouver.

Another followed account is entitled Black Mental Health Matters. The account focuses on posting motivational messages and giving advice on how to deal with different stressful situations.

Several motivational speakers are also included in the group of followed accounts. @i_weigh is ran by Jameela Jamil, and focuses on spreading the message of body positivity and helping those with eating disorders. Additionally, Bryony Gordon and Matt Haig are motivational speakers that use their accounts to spread positive messages and mental health awareness.

Even though Mental Health Awareness Month only lasts 31 days, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex hope to use their platform to expose more people to the messages these accounts aim to share, and spread the message of mental health awareness during the entire year.