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Dedicated to raising public awareness about mental health, World Mental Health Day is celebrated on October 10. This annual program came into being a few decades ago to bring more attention to mental illness and its effects on individual work, relationships, and life. In addition, it serves as an opportunity for every stakeholder to openly discuss this highly stigmatized issue and debate what needs to be done to make mental health a reality for people worldwide. Know about the history, significance, and more about Mental Health Day in this article.

Statistics suggest that one in four adults and one in ten children will develop a mental health issue every year. These conditions profoundly affect millions of lives worldwide, interfering with their ability to maintain relationships, work, and life.

The stigma tied to mental health can trigger a destructive albeit ill-informed approach, making it extremely difficult for the affected individuals to seek help. According to the Mental Health Foundation, only one out of 8 people are actually brave enough to undergo treatment. By stark contrast, most of these affected individuals face multiple issues, such as social isolation, uncertainty about getting help, and a general lack of support from family, friends, and colleagues. 

The best way to break out of this dilemma is to understand mental health problems better. From accepting the significance of mental health problems to recognizing them and pinpointing solutions, every little thing matters. To make this possible, the relevant authorities have dedicated a day where they strive to make mental health education more common and its treatment more approachable. 

October 10 has been officially declared as the World Mental Health Day date. The history of its origin dates back to 1992 with the initiation of worldwide awareness programs and the presence of global advocacy by Richard Hunter, the Deputy Secretary of the World Federation for Mental Health (WFMH) at that time. However, the precise motive to nominate this day was only to advocate for mental health and change a plethora of dangerous habits that made the situation worse for people.

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At that time, the world struggled to get adequate treatment for mental health issues. Problems like inhumane treatment in New Zealand struggle to sanction public funding to treat mental problems. Overall ignorance and indifference to this aspect of health made the WFMH realize they needed to act to resolve this global crisis. As a result, the world was introduced to the first Mental Health Day which was appreciated as one of the most critical and far-reaching programs set up by the organization ever since. 

The World Federation for Mental Health has been engaged in education and advocacy to change the perceptions of mental illness. Established in 1948, the organization celebrates Mental Health Day with full zeal and zest. The common preparations involve selecting a theme and producing public education material accordingly. This educational material is made available through CD distribution and website downloads. 

Good health constitutes a sound mind in a sound body. Though commonly neglected, psychological and emotional well-being is just as crucial as physical health, and experts agree that all these parameters are strongly connected. Nevertheless, mental health is never given the due importance it deserves. Consequently, issues related to emotional and mental well-being continue to affect people in every country across the world. Such problems have also been linked to discrimination, poverty, and overall health.

Despite being identified as an urgent health challenge, mental illnesses are often neglected and hidden. Moreover, the resources and funding allocated to deal with this part of health are almost non-existent in most health systems worldwide. Surveys suggest that 80% of the people with mental health problems belong to low- and middle-income countries, and only one out of 5 of them ever get a chance to get treatment. Even in developed countries, mental health services are often inappropriate or inadequate and rarely integrated with other health services. 

The issues mentioned above are primarily due to a lack of awareness of mental health and are only on the rise. In the current era, it wouldn’t be wrong to call mental health issues a silent epidemic with millions of victims suffering from it but are not in a position to demand action. World Mental Health Day Europe aims to be the voice to these people, provide them a platform to come forward with their issues, and give them a chance to restore good mental health.

World Mental Health Day aims to give people an opportunity to enjoy good mental health. According to advocates of this day, good mental health does not simply mean the absence of a diagnosable mental issue. In fact, it is a state of mind that prevents the development of many such problems. 

Good mental health is defined as the ability of a person to successfully fulfill all key responsibilities and functions of daily life, which include:

  • The ability to develop meaningful relationships and maintain them
  • The ability to learn new things
  • The ability to cope well with the changes and uncertainties in life
  • The ability to express and manage positive and negative feelings and emotions

The theme for World Mental Health Day 2024 is “mental health in an unequal world,” which highlights the inequalities among people that come in the way of addressing mental health problems. As highlighted by the World Federation for Mental Health, these inequalities are with respect to gender, race, ethnicity, financial income, and sexual orientation. 

The recent example in concurrence with the selected theme is the COVID-19 pandemic that struck everyone worldwide irrespective of their religion, gender, sexual orientation, or socio-economic background. It made us realize the importance of building a stronger immunity and living a healthier lifestyle and highlighted how closely mental health is connected to physical health. Moreover, it made people understand that strengthening mental immunity can go a long way in gaining resilience against inevitable stressors, even the unexpected ones like the COVID-19 virus.

Despite being in the critical sustainable development goals of the United Nations, the provision of necessary mental health care to everyone is still a dream. In fact, the gap between people needing care and those with access to these healthcare services remains substantial and is only increasing. Around 75% of the people from low- and middle-income countries do not have access to treatment for their mental issues due to a shortage of staff, facilities, and medication. 

Though steps are being taken to implement easily-approachable mental health programs worldwide, we are far from achieving the targeted goal. How successful these programs are depends on how we as individuals take responsibility into our own hands and utilize these resources properly.

On mental health awareness days this year, follow the tips mentioned below to play your part in resolving a global crisis.

Reach Out to a Friend

People often feel reluctant to reveal their daily struggles and challenges. So look around you and check if there is someone who needs help. Perhaps you have a colleague who has suddenly become cold and withdrawn, or there’s a friend who has started posting confusing statuses on social media. If you suspect them to be suffering from a mental health illness, check-in with them. 

Give them a quick phone call or leave them a message. Letting these people know that you are here to lend an ear can make it easy for them to vent their frustrations and even seek treatment. 

Practice Small Acts of Kindness

Random acts of kindness can make a huge difference, even small and seemingly insignificant. So, on this year’s World Mental Health Day 2024, start making your community a better place by practicing kindness with those around you. Remember that these acts do not need to be expensive or stressful. They can be as simple as:

  • Babysitting for a friend for free
  • Paying for a meal for someone behind you in a drive-through
  • Bringing donuts for everyone in the office
  • Giving compliments to people around you

With these acts of kindness, you are essentially encouraging people around you to improve their mental health, even if it’s short-term.

Raise Awareness about Mental Health

Be an advocate of mental health by putting a green ribbon on your clothing or workplace. These bright ribbons symbolize mental health and emphasize its significance.

As a mental health advocate, you can consider engaging in the following activities to play your part:

  • Participate in awareness walks and other similar events for mental health
  • Be a volunteer at a local mental health organization
  • Support people battling mental health problems
  • Avoid using stigmatizing language 
  • Talk to your local communities and encourage them to prioritize mental health movements

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