Mental Health Matters
October is Mental Health Awareness Month, and 10 October is world mental health day. It is the day and the month that aims to raise awareness and spread education about mental health issues across the globe.
World Mental Health Day was first observed on October 10, 1992, as an annual activity of the World Federation for Mental Health.
The day initially did not have a specific theme and its aim was to promote mental health advocacy and educate the public on relevant issues. Seeing the popularity of the campaign, in 1994 for the first time a theme for the day was used which was “Improving the Quality of Mental Health Services throughout the World.”
With each passing year, the day's popularity continued to grow. Some of its early themes were Women and Mental Health (1996), Children and Mental Health (1997), Mental Health and Human Rights (1998) and Mental Health and Ageing (1999).
The theme of this year's World Mental Health Day is 'Mental health in an unequal world'.
Mental health has come into focus in these global pandemic times like never before as people of all age groups and occupations bear the brunt of the 'new normal'. Health and other frontline workers, students, people living alone, and those with pre-existing mental health conditions have been particularly affected.
I'm sure all of you have been impacted by the pandemic in some way, and almost everyone I speak to has spoken of challenges they have experienced with their mental health over the last 18 months.
In recent years, there has been increasing acknowledgement of the important role mental health plays in achieving global development goals, as illustrated by the inclusion of mental health in the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UNSDG).
According to the World Health Organisation (WHO) people with mental health conditions are at higher risk of dying prematurely. Depression is one of the most common mental health illnesses and is one of the leading causes of disability, while suicide is the second leading cause of death among 15-29 year olds.
The majority of people living with mental health problems in low-and middle-income countries do not get adequate treatment, and the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has increased our challenges multifold which need to be addressed as a priority.
While the pandemic has affected everyone, people with long term health conditions, or facing discrimination or parenting on their own are struggling the most and need more support.
Along with the socio-economic treatment gap, we must address workplace stress, help adolescents in schools, caregivers, and families of people living with mental health issues.
And now more than ever, we need to proactively address the stigma and discrimination that is still associated with mental ill-health that creates barriers for many to accessing care and treatment.
World Mental Health Day provides an opportunity to talk about mental health in general, how to break the stigma around it, and the importance of speaking out when struggling with a mental health issue.
Given that mental illness will be the global epidemic that we will now be living with for many years to come, this year's World Mental Health Day and this October's World Health Awareness Month have, for me, taken on heightened importance and has motivated me to speak more openly about my recent mental health challenges over the last 18 months.
When we have the courage to share our own personal stories, we break down the stigma and barriers that allow us to bring out of the shadows and shine a light on this universal issue, we raise awareness and promote crucial conversations, and we give permission to others to do the same. The ripple effect in action.
I hope for the remainder of this month and for as long as this remains an issue for us all, you will join me by creating your own ripples of awareness and positive change in this space.
