10 Symbols of Mental Health And Their Meanings

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The earliest known record of mental illness dates back to 1100 BC in ancient China. Ancient Chinese people with mental disorders were treated under traditional medicine using herbs and acupuncture as well as emotional therapy.

Emotional therapy in the traditional Chinese medicine involves a systematic nursing scheme based on five emotions: anger, joy, thought, worry, and fear.

While the exact cause of majority of mental illnesses is not known, research suggests that a combination of factors, including heredity, biology, psychological trauma, and environmental stress, might be involved.

However, early recorded history shows that mental illness was assumed to have been caused by supernatural forces and demonic possession. This often led to barbaric treatment practices such as drilling a hole in the skull, which was one of the oldest surgical practices in history.

The skull-drilling practice, called trepanning, was done in an effort to dispel the “offending spirit” as the mentally ill were believed to be possessed by demons since the Middle Ages. The earliest known record of trepanning is over 7,000 years old, with the earliest known trepanned skull unearthed from a Neolithic burial site in France.

Negative attitudes towards mental disorders persisted into the 18th century in the United States. Mental illness was stigmatized as a result. Mentally ill people were often confined in unhygienic facilities.

Thankfully, we have seen dramatic changes in this attitude today. Mental health disorder is no longer treated in such degrading manners. People are more aware and open-minded as far as this issue is concerned.

This is is seen even in symbols. Efforts have been made to provide representations for mental health, a good proof that the issue is taken seriously and treated with respect nowadays – a far cry from how it used to be.

Here are the symbols that have been invented or adopted in modern times to represent mental health.

10 Symbols of Mental Health And Their Meanings

Positive Symbols of Mental Health

1. The Color Green

Green is the color that symbolizes depression, bipolar disorder, and other mental illnesses. The color is popularly used in promoting mental health awareness.

The green color represents hope, strength, and support for those afflicted with mental health disorders. It is used to encourage mental health awareness in order to help fight the stigma that is often associated with mental illnesses.

2. Green Ribbon

The international symbol for mental health awareness is the green ribbon, worn to show everyone that the wearer cares about mental health. Some people wear it in memory of a loved one.

Awareness ribbons in lime green shade, in particular, is representative of maternal mental health, postpartum depression, and psychosis.

3. Semicolon

As a punctuation mark, the semicolon is generally used to indicate two closely related sentences and to clarify a series. In a series, the semicolon is used to separate one or more elements that have a comma. In other words, we use semicolon when a sentence could have ended but didn’t.

The phrase “could have ended but didn’t” is also symbolic of something related to mental health. For some, it connotes surviving suicide and/or triumph over suicidal thoughts, represented by the semicolon symbol. This is a popular mental health symbol that we often see on social media posts and skin tattoos these days.

This punctuation mark is used by the organization dedicated to mental health awareness and suicide prevention called Project Semicolon.

The semicolon symbol signifies affirmation and solidarity against a number of mental health issues which include addiction, suicide, and depression. It symbolizes the concept that people with mental health issues will go on, and that their story doesn’t end with this fight – it’s merely the beginning.

4. Monarch Butterfly

The monarch butterfly has been chosen as a symbol for people affected with mental illness because this butterfly perfectly shows just how short life is, therefore it should be valued. It is meant to show and make people recognize how fleeting our existence is. Recognizing this fact makes us appreciate life more.

The monarch butterfly symbol can used to discourage people with mental health disorders from entertaining ideas of self-harm, particularly the ones afflicted with depression.

The stages of a monarch butterfly’s development are also representative of mental health issues – from egg to caterpillar to the adult butterfly, or virtually its whole life cycle. This life cycle itself is symbolic of transformation and rebirth to some individuals, while to others it is seen as an upcoming change or a new path in life.

The cocoon-like condition of this winged insect during its early stages of development is comparable to the depressed and withdrawn feelings that people whose lives are affected by mental health issues suffer from.

5. Blue Dot

The blue dot symbol was created in 2017 by a mother who suffered from postpartum depression. As the symbol of solidarity and support, the blue dot is used to promote awareness of maternal mental health disorders, as well as combat stigma and shame.

The symbol – inspired by the Blue Dot Project, an NGO dedicated to awareness of maternal mental health issues – depicts a subtle image of a blue dot and a silver lining to represent hope. The blue color used to be baby blue but was changed to robin’s egg blue to symbolize reproductive mental health.

6. Serotonin

Dubbed the “happy chemical,” serotonin is a naturally occurring chemical that processes sleep, learning and memory, mood regulation, digestion, and more. Low levels of this chemical may cause mood swings, anxiety, and depression.

The serotonin symbol associated with mental health is used as a reminder that people with mental health issues are not to be blamed, but rather a chemical imbalance in their brain is what causes their struggles.

7. The Mental Health Bell

During the early days of treatment for mental health, asylums commonly used irons and shackles to restrain mentally-afflicter people.

This cruel practice was stopped in the early 1950s. The discarded chains and shackles were melted down and recast into the Mental Health Bell, which became the symbol of hope for people afflicted with mental health disorders.

Negative Symbols of Mental Health

8. The “Peace” Sign

Surprised to see the peace sign as a negative symbol?

As a mental health symbol, the peace sign does not signify peace at all. Rather, it is an abstract depiction of loneliness and depression. You have to look hard enough to understand why.

The peace sign is made up of a stick figure bent over in a position that calls to mind a person suffering from extreme loneliness or depression. You can see the circle which is meant to represent the head, while the short lines represent the arms reaching for the ground.

Some people use this symbol to convey that it’s okay to talk about mental health, thus encouraging others to open up as well.

8. Half-moon

The half-moon symbol is representative of the dual experience within a person who is suffering from mental disorder. Half of the person is illuminated, which is symbolic of the fight against the condition. The other half denotes that it has given up fighting and remains in the dark.

10. North Direction

North is one of the four cardinal directions, opposite of south and perpendicular to east and west. In literature, the north direction represents death and isolation as well as cold and hostility.

The north direction is another negative symbol of mental health that has been adopted to symbolize depression.