Celebrating the value of every mind

Mental Illness Awareness Week is incredibly meaningful to me and all Otsuka-people. Most of us at Otsuka have been personally impacted by mental illness, which is one of the most important reasons why we have dedicated our professional careers to furthering the treatment of mental illness. We know it’s not an area of medicine that affects some people and not others - we are all touched by it.

A celebration of the mind

When we reflect on the importance of this week, we want to take this time to celebrate the value of every mind, especially those impacted by mental illness. After all, the mind is a beautiful and inspiring part of a human being, where imagination, intelligence, thinking, perception, and so much more coalesce to create human experiences. Every mind, regardless of medical condition, can offer a fresh perspective or viewpoint from which others can learn. We know that when we recognize the inherent value in every mind, we can change the trajectory of people’s lives. We can improve their overall well-being and allow them to achieve their full potential. 

We accept nothing less than this as a way of being and believing. Now, more than ever, this is a time to uplift everyone impacted by mental illness and those who are doing the work of making a difference. We celebrate you and we celebrate the magnificence of the mind.

Overcoming mental health challenges through invention and advocacy

Our purpose—defy limitation, so that others can too—compels us to consistently find ways to improve the well-being of those impacted by mental illness – be patients, families, or healthcare providers.  Our scientists are developing novel ideas and platforms in the neuroscience space that go beyond a simple pill. In support of this, we created the McQuade Center for Strategic Research and Development earlier this year, which is dedicated to identifying and funding innovative therapies, such as psilocybin, a treatment being investigated for drug-resistant depression. Through digital medicines and therapeutics, we unite technology and medicine to empower patients to take control of their disease in partnership with their healthcare team and amplifying physicians’ ability to manage diseases such as serious mental illness.

For us, this is about so much more than medicine. Advocacy, policy change, and programs that support patient well-being are also central to our efforts. We are incredibly proud of our partnership with WETA on the multiyear public health initiative Well Beings, which focuses on the mental health crisis in youths.

Our focus is not only on patients and their families. We are also committed to supporting healthcare professionals by bringing them together through PsychU, a community created for mental health professionals, dedicated to improving care through information, discussion, and collaboration.

In addition, Otsuka’s Sozosei Foundation is working tirelessly on the decriminalization of mental illness. A vast number of incarcerated individuals in the U.S. living with serious mental illnesses often end up in jails or prisons before they receive their first, and sometimes only, mental health treatment. We must change this.

At Otsuka, we are dedicated to driving true change. We will not rest until the full measure of each mind is realized. We will continue working to empower everyone affected by mental illness, so they can push past the limitations of their diagnosis and achieve their full potential. I invite you to join us in advancing these efforts until the value of every mind is realized and celebrated.

About Me and Otsuka America Pharmaceutical, Inc.

I am a purpose-driven leader who is committed to Otsuka-people and those we serve. Otsuka is an organization driven by purpose—to defy limitation, so that others can too. We are committed to providing products and programs for people in three key areas: neuroscience, nephrology, and digital innovation. #defylimitation

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