- By Prerna Targhotra
- Tue, 10 Oct 2023 10:02 AM (IST)
- Source:JND
World Mental Health Day 2023: What forms the basis of our overall health and well-being is our mental health. With the increasing awareness, people have become more aware of their mental health and its importance. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), 1 in every 8 people in the world live with a mental disorder. Initial estimates show a 26% and 28% increase respectively for anxiety and major depressive disorders in just one year. Such escalating statistics are an alarming sign that one needs to be more inclined towards taking care of their mental and physical well-being.
Today, October 10, people from all across the globe are celebrating the global campaign for World Mental Health Day to raise awareness about the importance of mental health and well-being. Despite progress and advancements in several countries, people struggling with mental health conditions often experience human rights violations, stigma and discrimination. The objective of World Mental Health Day is to free the world of stigmas and taboos related to mental health.
Watch the video below about how to help someone struggling with mental health disorders:
World Mental Health Day 2023: History
The history of World Mental Health Day dates back to the year 1990 when the World Federation of Mental Health led by Deputy Secretary General Richard Hunter, established this special day. The sole objective of establishing World Mental Health Day was to raise awareness about mental health. With the first theme “Improving the quality of mental services throughout the world”, the first Mental Health Day was observed.
World Mental Health Day 2023: Significance
World Mental Health Day 2023 (Image Credits: Canva)
Even though we are living in a modern and technologically advanced society, people struggle with mental health issues silently due to the fear of judgment. With more than thousands of organisations working towards providing services for better mental health, people still find it difficult to open up about their struggles with mental health. A global campaign like World Mental Health Day plays a crucial role in forming bridges and providing people with safe places to discuss their mental health problems.
World Mental Health Day 2023: Theme
The theme for World Mental Health Day 2023 is "Mental health is a universal human right” and provides an opportunity for all stakeholders working on mental health issues to talk about their work, and what more needs to be done to make mental health care a reality for people worldwide.
World Mental Health Day 2023 (Image Credits: Freepik)