World Mental Health Day, 10 October 2024 - Theme, Importance & History

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World mental health day is an important health awareness event witnessed every year on 10 October to create awareness and promote the importance of mental health in one's life and society. This day aims to educate people about the stigma of mental illness, and encouraging people around the world to support the cause, and establish a healthy environment in all aspects of life to support mental health.

Importance of World Mental Health Day

As we all know, an individual's mental health plays a vital role in shaping a healthy society and nation. It is imperative to have the mental and physical health to achieve a good and balanced life. Recent unprecedented global events like the COVID pandemic and Wars have brought a global crisis for mental health, affecting lakhs of people worldwide, which definitely requires the attention and active participation of the organizations and policymakers worldwide to help fight against the treatment gap and facilities needed to support mental health.

World Mental Health Day plays a crucial role in bringing people together to support each other to fight mental health issues by organizing various awareness campaigns and urging others to participate and make use of the opportunity to understand the value of mental health in their surroundings. It also enables global platforms for the affected people to connect with various concerned communities to share their thoughts and be vocal about their suffering and required action to be taken to support others.

World Mental Health Day 2024 Theme

This year, 2024, the World Mental Health Day theme is “Mental Health at Work”. This theme highlights the vital connection between mental health and work. Safe, healthy working environments can act as a protective factor for mental health. Unhealthy conditions, including stigma, discrimination, and exposure to risks like harassment and other poor working conditions, can pose significant risks, affecting mental health, overall quality of life and consequently, participation or productivity at work. With 60% of the global population in work, urgent action is needed to ensure work prevents risks to mental health and protects and supports mental health at work.

Year by year, the themes for World Mental Health Day are:

World Mental Health Day 2023 Theme: Mental health is a universal human right
World Mental Health Day 2022 Theme: Make Mental Health & Well-Being for All a Global Priority
World Mental Health Day 2021 Theme: Mental health care for all: let’s make it a reality
World Mental Health Day 2020 Theme: Move for mental health: Increased investment in mental health
World Mental Health Day 2019 Theme: Focus on Suicide Prevention
World Mental Health Day 2018 Theme: Young people and mental health in a changing world

History of World Mental Health Day

World mental health day was first organized on October 10, 1992, by World Federation for Mental Health, a global mental health organization having a presence in more than 150 countries. The initiative was proposed by Richard Hunter, Deputy Secretary General of the World Federation for Mental Health, in 1992.

Till 1994 the day was observed without any specific theme; it was mainly focused on educating people about the general issues of mental health. Later in 1994, based on Eugene Brody suggestions, then Secretary General of the World Federation for Mental Health, the day was celebrated based on the theme and the theme for the year 1994 was "Improving the Quality of Mental Health Services throughout the World". Since then, World Federation for Mental Health has announced a particular theme to promote and educate people about mental health issues, its preventions and supports to create a better opportunity for mentally affected people.

Preventive Tips & Effective ways to promote Mental Health Awareness

Be Vocal and have open mindset towards Mental Health Issues.
Keep yourself informed about the warning Signs and Symptoms of Mental Illnesses. Some of the prominent indications includes changes in sleep and eating patterns, persistent sadness, antisocial behaviour and mood changes.
Be kind and compassionate towards other
Don't hesitate to avail and promote free mental health screening
Participate in Awareness campaign and support the cause
Learn and implement proper healthy lifestyle to improve the mental wellbeing of your family and yourself.
Encourage and support the affected one to get diagnosed and avail proper mental health programs based on their signs and symptoms.