World Mental Health Day

Today is about creating awareness on an issue that has existed since the dawn of man but has gained increasing attention and spotlight in a post-COVID-19 pandemic world. Mental Health. I remember a senior leader in one organization saying these words pre-pandemic: “People with mental health should seek help, not come to work and be taken to institutions that can help them recover.” There are so many undertones embedded in it. Today, I wonder what his sentiments would be on this statement.

This day provides an opportunity for all stakeholders working on mental health issues to talk about their work, and what more needs to be done to make mental health care a reality for people worldwide. Mental health is not only a universal right and a critical aspect of well-being, it allows society to function fairly and to be kind.

Did something go wrong in our society? Has social media contributed to the massive rise in cases? Has extremism and cancel culture polarized our society to increase anxiety levels generally? There is no one cause-and-effect answer here. What we know from the World Health Organisation (WHO) is:

There has been a 13% rise in mental health conditions and substance use disorders in the last decade

• 20% of the world’s children and adolescents have a mental health condition, with suicide the second leading cause of death among 15-29-year-olds
• 1 in 5 people in post-conflict settings have a mental health condition
• Two of the most common mental health conditions, depression and anxiety, cost the global economy US$ 1 trillion each year

WHO has published a Comprehensive Mental Health Action Plan, which targets 2030 for the achievement of its goals. These align with UN SDGs, but today, it’s important to stress the core objectives of this action plan, and for us to be united in increasing awareness, identifying and supporting mental health causes.

Follow this link to read it and pick a cause you can champion within your family, workplace, or community.

#WorldMentalHealthDay #Wellness #Depression #Anxiety #PickYourActions