What Is the Importance of World Mental Health Day and What Does It Focus On

The World Mental Health Day is organized and presented by the World Federation of Mental Health (WFMH) on October 10 every year. The aim is to spread awareness among the general public globally about the importance of mental health. The federation wants people suffering from mental illness to lead a life of dignity and calls upon the community to help them achieve this goal across the world.

According to the World Federation of Mental Health, one in four adults and one in ten children has mental health issues to deal with. It affects millions of individuals globally and can severely impact their personal relationships and professional life as well.

The Aim Of Observing World Mental Health Day Is:

• To enhance public awareness about the importance of a healthy mind and to improve public outlook towards individuals afflicted by the condition
• To take steps aimed at promoting mental health
• To find ways of preventing mental disorders
• To ensure a steady improvement in the quality of care, treatment, and recovery of people suffering from the condition

It is unfortunate that mentally affected persons are viewed as lesser human beings.

Why It Is Viewed As a Social Stigma

The embarrassment attached to mental health makes it difficult for the affected individuals and their families to lead a normal life. They have to deal with a variety of issues, ranging from isolation to uncertainty. Most individuals are not sure where to seek support from for such conditions. They generally depend on support from family, relatives, and friends. Many times, they fail to secure the support of even their near and dear ones.

World Mental Health Day is focused on creating awareness for the affected global community in an empathetic way. The platform has become a unifying voice for those suffering from various types of mental illnesses. The WFMH has been helping the affected persons by empowering them in many ways.

The World Mental Health Day 2019 Theme

This year, the main theme of the World Mental Health Day is suicide prevention. According to WFMH, suicidal behavior has existed since the evolution of human history and for various reasons including some complex ones. However, in the past few decades, the incidents of deaths by suicide have increased dramatically. This clearly shows a severe deterioration in the mental health of people across the world.

Statistics released by the World Health Organization show that more than 800,000 people commit suicide every year. It is the main cause of death in youths in the 15-29 age groups.

Why It Is Imperative To Act Fast

WFMH states that suicide is a global public health problem and it is critical that it gets the attention it deserves from all sections of the society. National Health authorities from all over the world must take the lead in creating practical policies, issuing directives, and establishing strategies that can help prevent suicide and promote the mental health of the society.

WFMH also wants the print and social media to get involved in the process as their participation can have a profoundly positive impact on the campaign.