Mental health conditions are incredibly common, affecting people from all walks of life. In many cases, these conditions are invisible, and people may struggle with symptoms without any outward sign. Wearing a colored wristband is one way to subtly indicate you live with a mental health condition, while also raising awareness. So what do the different colored wristbands mean in the context of mental health? Here’s an overview of some of the more common mental health colored wristbands and their significance.
Blue Wristband
A blue wristband often indicates support for Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) and developmental disabilities. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, about 1 in 44 children are diagnosed with ASD, and these disorders affect communication and behavior. Wearing a blue wristband shows support for individuals with autism and helps promote autism awareness. The color blue is associated with autism because it represents uniqueness and puzzle pieces, a longtime symbol of autism.
Green Wristband
A green wristband signifies support for mental health in general. The color green represents renewal, growth, and hope. Wearing a green wristband demonstrates support for mental health awareness and ending stigma. It can also indicate support for various mental health conditions like anxiety, depression, OCD, PTSD, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, and more. Green represents the mental health community standing together.
Yellow Wristband
A yellow wristband often represents support for depression and suicide prevention/awareness. The color yellow denotes hope, sunshine, and light, countering the darkness of depression. According to the National Institute of Mental Health, depression affects more than 21 million American adults each year. Suicide is tragically common as well, as over 47,500 Americans died by suicide in 2019, says the CDC. A yellow wristband shows unity against the serious issues of depression and suicide.
Orange Wristband
An orange wristband signifies support for ADD/ADHD awareness. ADD/ADHD stands for Attention Deficit Disorder/Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder. The bright color orange represents the challenges those with ADD/ADHD can face with concentration, hyperactivity, impulsivity, and distractibility. An estimated 9.4% of U.S. children have been diagnosed with ADHD, per the CDC. An orange wristband promotes awareness of these common issues.
Purple Wristband
A purple wristband often denotes Alzheimer’s disease or dementia awareness. It also sometimes indicates epilepsy awareness. The color purple represents the mystery surrounding brain disorders like Alzheimer’s and epilepsy. Alzheimer’s irreversibly destroys memory and thinking skills, while epilepsy causes seizures. Wearing a purple wristband helps promote education and research for these conditions.
Silver Wristband
A silver wristband signifies support for anxiety disorders and obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). The color silver represents calmness and tranquility, the opposite of anxiety. Silver also calls to mind the need to break free from obsessive thoughts and compulsive behaviors. According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness, 19% of U.S. adults experience anxiety disorders and 2-3% are affected by OCD.
Gold Wristband
A gold wristband indicates childhood cancer awareness and support for children with cancer. The color gold represents childlike innocence. Pediatric cancer is tragically common, affecting about 15,780 children in the U.S. each year, says the American Childhood Cancer Organization. Gold reminds us of the resilience of children fighting cancer.
Pink Wristband
A pink wristband signifies breast cancer awareness. Pink ribbons are also iconic symbols for breast cancer. According to Breastcancer.org, about 1 in 8 U.S. women will develop invasive breast cancer. Pink promotes awareness, early detection, and support for fighting this common cancer.
Red Wristband
A red wristband often indicates support for heart disease. The color red is associated with the heart and draws awareness to heart health. Heart disease is very common in the U.S., causing 1 in 4 deaths each year among both men and women, says the CDC. A red wristband reminds us to take care of our hearts.
White Wristband
A white wristband signifies lung cancer awareness. It represents hope for more effective lung cancer treatments. Lung cancer has a high mortality rate, with only about 21% surviving 5 years after diagnosis. The American Lung Association states smoking is linked to 80-90% of lung cancer deaths.
Teal Wristband
A teal wristband indicates ovarian cancer awareness and support for research. Teal represents hope and strength to overcome ovarian cancer. According to the American Cancer Society, ovarian cancer ranks 5th in cancer deaths among women. Better early detection and improved treatments are needed.
Pearl Wristband
A pearl wristband signifies lung cancer awareness, honoring those affected. The color pearl represents elegance and delicacy, like the lungs. Lung cancer takes a devastating toll, as the 5-year survival rate is only 21%, says the American Lung Association. Greater awareness and research funding are critical.
Burgundy Wristband
A burgundy wristband indicates multiple myeloma awareness. Multiple myeloma is a relatively rare blood cancer, with about 34,470 new cases per year, says the American Cancer Society. Better treatments are helping prolong life, but more progress is needed. Burgundy promotes awareness of this cancer.
Lime Green Wristband
A lime green wristband signifies lymphoma awareness and early detection. Lymphoma is a cancer affecting the lymphatic system. Hodgkin lymphoma has high cure rates, but non-Hodgkin lymphoma outcomes vary. Lime green promotes education on symptoms and screenings.
Gray Wristband
A gray wristband represents brain cancer awareness and support for research. Gray symbolizes the complexities of the brain. Brain tumors can be malignant or benign but are always serious. More funding for research is critically needed, as survival rates are low for malignant brain tumors.
Apricot Wristband
An apricot wristband denotes pancreatic cancer awareness and action. Pancreatic cancer has the highest mortality rate of major cancers, with only 11% surviving 5 years, says the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network. Apricot inspires hope and promotes advocacy for those affected by this cancer.
Rainbow Wristband
A rainbow wristband often signifies gay pride and LGBTQ support. It represents diversity and acceptance. According to UCLA’s Williams Institute, 11.3% of U.S. adults identify as LGBTQ. Wearing a rainbow wristband demonstrates allyship and solidarity.
Black and White Wristband
A black and white wristband indicates melanoma skin cancer awareness. Melanoma accounts for only 1% of skin cancers but causes most skin cancer deaths, says the American Cancer Society. Black and white represent the changing colors in moles that may indicate melanoma.
Plaid Wristband
A plaid wristband signifies stomach cancer awareness. Stomach cancer has a high mortality rate, as it’s often diagnosed late after spreading. Plaid represents the complexity and unpredictability of stomach cancer. Promoting awareness can help improve early detection.
Zebra Print Wristband
A zebra print wristband denotes rare disease awareness and undiagnosed diseases. It acknowledges diseases that are not widely known or understood. The National Organization for Rare Disorders reports there are 7,000+ rare diseases affecting 25-30 million Americans.
Polka Dot Wristband
A polka dot wristband signifies endometriosis awareness and support. Endometriosis affects about 1 in 10 women of reproductive age, causing pelvic pain and infertility. Increased education and research funding are needed for this common but misunderstood gynecological disorder.
Turquoise Wristband
A turquoise wristband indicates alopecia and hair loss awareness. It promotes understanding of autoimmune hair loss. According to the National Alopecia Areata Foundation, alopecia affects about 2% of Americans. Turquoise brings hope for better treatments.
Periwinkle Wristband
A periwinkle wristband represents eating disorder awareness, promoting education on conditions like anorexia, bulimia, and binge eating disorder. Eating disorders affect at least 9% of the population, says the National Association of Anorexia Nervosa and Associated Disorders.
Conclusion
Wearing a colored wristband allows you to silently indicate a health condition or cause that holds personal meaning. The wristband color signifies solidarity and understanding from others. While the above covers some of the more common colors and meanings, any color wristband can represent mental health awareness and your personal mental health journey. At the end of the day, the most important thing is speaking up to end stigma.
| Wristband Color | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Blue | Autism spectrum disorders awareness |
| Green | Mental health awareness |
| Yellow | Depression/suicide prevention |
| Orange | ADD/ADHD awareness |
| Purple | Alzheimer’s/dementia awareness |
| Silver | Anxiety/OCD awareness |
| Gold | Childhood cancer awareness |
| Pink | Breast cancer awareness |
| Red | Heart disease awareness |
| White | Lung cancer awareness |
| Teal | Ovarian cancer awareness |
| Pearl | Lung cancer awareness |
| Burgundy | Multiple myeloma awareness |
| Lime Green | Lymphoma awareness |
| Gray | Brain cancer awareness |
| Apricot | Pancreatic cancer awareness |
| Rainbow | Gay pride/LGBTQ support |
| Black and White | Melanoma awareness |
| Plaid | Stomach cancer awareness |
| Zebra Print | Rare disease awareness |
| Polka Dot | Endometriosis awareness |
| Turquoise | Alopecia/hair loss awareness |
| Periwinkle | Eating disorder awareness |
