World Mental Health Day: Time to Prioritize It Globally

At least one in eight people are affected by mental health issues. Let that number sink in. It’s a lot more common than we think. We might not understand how we may be experiencing them or we may not notice that our near and dear ones are suffering. To top that, our world has over 84 million people displaced by conflicts and natural disasters. These individuals suffer from critically disrupted mental health services, thus widening the treatment gap for these conditions. Considering these numbers, World Mental Health Day 2022 is a chance for us to rekindle our actions toward the protection and improvement of mental health.?

World Mental Health Day is observed to raise awareness about the importance of mental wellness. According to WHO, it offers an opportunity for organizations and people working on mental health issues to showcase their work on a global scale while also highlighting the impact of these efforts, their significance, and what more needs to be done to address these problems on a wider scale. The day has become a crucial one with depression ranked as one of the leading causes of disability and suicide as the fourth leading cause of death in the 15 to 29 age group.?

The origins of World Mental Health day is an interesting one. It was first observed on October 10, 1992, through an initiative by the World Federation for Mental Health, a global organization with over 150 member nations. Initiated as an idea by Deputy Secretary General Richard Hunter, the first commemoration did not have a specific theme aside from raising awareness across the masses. However, in 1994, World Mental Health Day was developed into a celebration with an umbrella theme to improve the quality of mental health services around the world.?

The Covid-19 pandemic has reportedly caused a 25% rise in the prevalence of anxiety and depression worldwide, which has now been identified as a global crisis for mental health. Following the impact of the pandemic, conversations around mental health are now taking precedence as a stronghold in contemporary thought and debates. The lockdowns brought forth a severe lack of social interaction in remote work and education environments in the confinement of homes for long periods of time. This severely impacted the mental well-being of countless individuals, so much so, that many companies around the world made employee mental wellness a top priority. Businesses and organizations are jumping forward to design and implement innovative methods to support their people in tackling related issues.?

However, despite the prevalence of these issues, the provision and availability of services, skills, and funding for mental health remain abysmal in supply. According to the WHO, the supply of these services and funding is far below what’s required, particularly in low and middle-income countries. Additionally, adding to the pandemic’s impact, the WHO has stated that widening social and economic inequalities, complex conflicts, protracted violence, and public health emergencies have previously and continue to, affect large populations. This threatens our progress towards UN SDG #3 Good Health and Well-Being on a global scale.?

Now, it's more important than ever before for us to address this, as people suffering from mental health conditions die prematurely - at least 20 years before the average - from preventable physical conditions. They are also more likely to result from severe human rights violations, discrimination, and stigma in their communities or countries. The impact of leaving these issues the way they are is also detrimental. WHO estimates that 12 billion working days have been lost each year to depression and anxiety, costing the global economy almost $1 trillion. In such places, where help is available, the stigma and discrimination people suffer prevent patients from seeking the required care. The UN SDG #3 Good Health and Well-being calls for nations to integrate mental health into primary healthcare by 2030, however, only about 25% of nations currently have a system in place that addresses these issues.?

For 2022, the key theme for World Mental Health Day is to make mental health and well-being a global priority. The WHO calls on nations, organizations, communities, and individuals to actions that will deepen their values, commitments, engagement, and investment towards the development of overall mental well-being. The major step we must take is the eradication of the stigma and discrimination against mental health within ourselves as individuals and in the community, and for organizations as a whole. We can break away from these destructive patterns and behaviors by educating ourselves and others on mental health. By tailoring our language into comforting messages and conversation, we can provide support to those suffering around us.?

Written by Yuvika Bhatia, Content Strategist at Ground Z.?