World Mental Health Day 2021: Due to Covid, pandemic has had a major impact on people’s mental health. Every year on October 10th, World Mental Health Day is marked to raise awareness of mental health concerns throughout the world and organise actions in support of mental health.
One of the most overlooked aspects of public health is mental health.
Around 1 billion individuals suffer from mental illnesses; 3 million people die each year from the hazardous use of alcohol, and one person commits suicide every 40 seconds.
The issue of mental health illnesses is exacerbated by social stigma, discrimination, and human rights violations against persons with mental health conditions.
This year’s campaign is open to everyone, everywhere: as people, we can take real measures to support our own mental health and to assist friends and family who are struggling, and as businesses, we can take steps to put programmes in place to encourage employee wellbeing.
As governments, we must commit to developing or expanding mental health services, and as media, we must raise mental health awareness.
People of all ages and occupations bear the brunt of the ‘new normal’ in pandemic times, bringing mental health to the forefront like never before. Health care workers and other frontline workers, students, people who live alone, and those who have pre-existing mental health conditions have all been impacted.
“In recent years, there has been increasing acknowledgement of the important role mental health plays in achieving global development goals, as illustrated by the inclusion of mental health in the Sustainable Development Goals,” according to World Health Organization (WHO).
People who suffer from mental illnesses are more likely to die young. According to the World Health Organization, depression is the most common mental health illness and one of the leading causes of disability, while suicide is the second leading cause of death among people aged 15 to 29.
“Majority of the people living with mental health problems in the low-and middle-income countries do not get adequate treatment. The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has increased our challenges multifold which need to be addressed on a priority,” said Dr Poonam Khetrapal Singh, Regional Director WHO South-East Asia Region.
World Mental Health Day Significance
The World Federation for Mental Health first commemorated World Mental Health Day on October 10, 1992, as an annual activity.
The goal of the day, which began without a specific theme, was to promote mental health advocacy and public education on relevant issues. Because of the campaign’s popularity, a theme for the day was chosen for the first time in 1994: “Improving the Quality of Mental Health Services Throughout the World.”
The popularity of the day grew with each passing year. Women and Mental Health (1996), Children and Mental Health (1997), Mental Health and Human Rights (1998), and Mental Health and Aging (2001) were some of its early themes (1999).
World Mental Health Day preparations begin months in advance, and in some countries, the programme lasts several days, a week, or even a month.
The pandemic has had a significant influence on people’s mental health as a result of Covid.
Governments from all around the globe recognised the need to scale up effective mental health services at all levels during the World Health Assembly in May 2021.
In addition, several countries have devised novel approaches of delivering mental health treatment to their citizens.
World Mental Health Day Theme
‘Mental health in an unequal world’ is the theme of this year’s World Mental Health Day. While the pandemic has affected everyone, those with long-term health conditions, discrimination, or parenting on their own are the ones who are most affected and require additional assistance.
“Along with treatment gap, we must address workplace stress, help adolescents in schools as also caregivers and families of people living with mental health issues. We need to proactively address stigma and discrimination associated with mental ill health that creates barrier to access care and treatment,” the Regional Director said.
World Mental Health Day is an opportunity to discuss mental health in general, how to eliminate the stigma associated with it, and the importance of speaking up when dealing with a mental health problem.
As a result of Covid, the pandemic has had a severe impact on people’s mental health.
During the World Health Assembly in May 2021, governments from all around the world recognised the need to scale up good mental health services at all levels.
Furthermore, a number of countries have created new methods for providing mental health care to their populations.
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