World Mental Health Day
October 10
The World Health Organisation recognises World Mental Health Day on 10 October every year.
World Mental Health Day (10 October) is an international day for global mental health education, awareness and advocacy against social stigma. It was first celebrated in 1992 at the initiative of the World Federation for Mental Health, a global mental health organization with members and contacts in more than 150 countries.This day, each October, thousands of supporters come to celebrate this annual awareness program to bring attention to mental illness and its major effects on peoples’ lives worldwide In some countries this day is part of an awareness week, such as Mental Health Week in Australia
History of World Mental Health Day
World Mental Health Day was established in 1992 by the World Federation for Mental Health. In some countries around the world, it forms just one part of the larger Mental Illness Awareness Week.
Mental health problems, ranging from issues like depression and anxiety disorders to conditions like schizophrenia or bipolar disorder, affect millions of people around the world. In fact, according to certain statistics, 1 in 4 people will experience some kind of mental health problem during their lifetime and many more will see friends or family members who are affected.
Yet, even though mental health is so prevalent, it is one of the most neglected forms of health in the world today. Almost one billion people are living with a mental health disorder right now and millions of people die each year from the impact that mental health has had on them. Even so, many people still do not have access to the care that they need to appropriately handle these concerns.
The purpose of World Mental Health Day is to raise awareness of mental health issues, increase education on the topic and attempt to eliminate the stigma attached. It is hoped that this, in turn, will encourage sufferers to seek out help and support.
The World Health Organization (WHO) has gotten on board with supporting World Mental Health Day and sees it as an opportunity to have a massive scale-up given to the investment made in the support of mental health. The WHO asserts that countries spend only 2% of their annual healthcare budgets on mental health, and that simply is not enough.
It’s time to push away the stigma, embrace the struggle, and invest in the opportunity for a more stable future when it comes to mental health. World Mental Health Day is a great day to begin!
Mental health in an unequal world
The theme of this year’s World Mental Health Day, set by the World Federation for Mental Health, is ‘Mental health in an unequal world’.
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