World Mental Health Day is observed on October 10.
World Mental Health Day is globally celebrated on October 10 each year. The purpose of the day is to increase public understanding of the value and significance of mental health. World Mental Health Day provides an opportunity to discuss mental health, how to care for it, and why it’s crucial to have these conversations.
The World Federation of Mental Health, an international organisation for mental health with participants and connections in many more than 150 countries, spearheaded the inaugural celebration in 1992.
The principal purpose of World Mental Health Day is to organise support for mental health and increase awareness of global mental health challenges.
Significance of World Mental Health Day:
As the world recoups after a strained and rigorous pandemic, the need to address and prioritize mental health is more vital than ever. Protecting and improving mental health is a fact that needs to be prioritized by everyone. The Day offers an opportunity for all organizations involved in mental health issues to discuss their work and what else needs to be done to ensure that mental health care is available to everyone in the world.
Every year to curtail the stigma around mental health issues and educate the public about the importance of prioritizing mental health, the World Health Organisation focuses on a specific theme to work with. The theme this year is to, ‘Make mental health & well-being for all a global priority.’
Numerous facets of mental health had been questioned, and one in eight individuals worldwide was thought to be coping with a mental illness before the pandemic in 2019. While this is going on, it is important to note that, particularly in low- and middle-income countries, the services, resources, and finance for mental health are still in limited supply and well below what is required.
The COVID-19 pandemic has triggered a global mental health catastrophe, causing millions of people to experience short- as well as long-term stress and jeopardising their mental health. According to estimates, within the initial year of the pandemic, both anxiety and depression disorders increased by more than 25%. The gap in treatment for mental health disorders has expanded at the same time that mental health services have gotten significantly interrupted.
A whopping 84 million people were forcefully displaced worldwide in 2021, a result of rising social and economic inequality, persistent conflicts, violence, and public health catastrophes that affect entire populations and undermine progress toward increased well-being. As individuals, communities, and governments, we must increase the value and dedication we place on mental health, and we must match that value with greater commitment, involvement, and investment from all partners, across all industries. We must improve mental health services so that the complete range of mental health requirements is satisfied by a network of locally based, easily accessible, reasonably priced, and high-quality services and supports.
https://www.who.int/campaigns/world-mental-health-day
The appropriate treatment and social inclusion are still hampered by stigma and discrimination, but we can all do our part to raise awareness of the preventative mental health measures that are most effective, therefore World Mental Health Day provides a chance for us to do so together.
Celebrating World Mental Health Day
Here are some things that you can do to look after your mental health and well-being:
- Exercise regularly
- Make a sleeping schedule
- Engage in relaxing and fun activities
- Eat healthy and nutritious meals
- Practice gratitude
- Establish goals, priorities and boundaries
- Reach out for help
- Stay connected
- Check on people frequently
- Focus on the good things
- Do nothing (try relaxing and giving up the idea of being productive all the time)
- Know when to seek help
- Talk about your experience and struggles (whenever you feel ready)
- Engage with organisations reaching out to others
- Educate others
