The battle against depression and other mental health concerns is as fierce as any fought in the streets of Panem. It’s for this reason that Hunger Games actor, Jack Quaid and Project UROK have joined forces to raise the awareness of fandom everywhere about these important issues.
Throughout The Hunger Games series, many characters deal with mental illness. Katniss’ mother lives with depression, Haymitch struggles with addiction, Peeta becomes dissociated from reality, and Katniss struggles with PTSD following her time in the arena. Yet throughout the series, there seem to be no mental health resources available. In Panem’s poorest districts, people who need quality mental health services are forced to go without. Sadly, this injustice isn’t limited to dystopian fiction. In the real world, many people go without mental health services because of economic inequality.