World Mental Health Day is celebrated annually on October 10. It is a date celebrated globally to raise awareness about issues related to mental health. It seeks to reduce the stigma around mental disorders, promote understanding and support for people facing mental health challenges, in addition to encouraging governments around the world to allocate part of their resources to this area.
The date is marked by awareness campaigns, educational events and discussions on topics relevant to mental health. In Brazil, the Ministry of Health promotes a set of actions within the National Mental Health Policy that aims to provide assistance to people with specific mental health needs in the country, such as prevention actions suicide.
Read too: September 10th — World Suicide Prevention Day
Topics in this article
- 1 - Summary of World Mental Health Day
- 2 - Origin of World Mental Health Day
- 3 - Objectives of World Mental Health Day
- 4 - Importance of World Mental Health Day
- 5 - Tips for keeping your mental health up to date
- 6 - Actions aimed at mental health in Brazil
Summary about World Mental Health Day
- World Mental Health Day is celebrated annually on October 10th.
- It emerged in 1992 with the aim of promoting awareness about mental health on a global level.
- It aims to reduce stigma around mental disorders and foster understanding and support for people facing mental health challenges.
- It is celebrated with awareness campaigns and educational events related to mental health, the which emphasize the importance of taking care of mental health and seeking professional help when necessary.
- It also seeks to draw the attention of governments to invest resources in this area.
- Some measures that can be adopted to maintain mental health include: practicing physical activity regularly, maintaining a healthy and balanced diet and avoiding isolation.
- In Brazil, there are public policies that provide support for people facing mental disorders and disorders.
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Origin of World Mental Health Day
World Mental Health Day It was celebrated for the first time on October 10, 1992, through an initiative by Deputy Secretary-General Richard Hunter of the World Federation for Mental Health.
This day was created with the aim of educating the publicblog about saúof mental health and reduce the stigma surrounding issuesis around this term. In a short time, the date became important to encourage Ministries of Health around the world and civil society organizations to promote programs focused on mental health care.
World Mental Health Day receives support from World Health Organization (WHO), which, in addition to facilitating and encouraging the communication network between different countries, develops technical material for the date.
From 1994 onwards, a theme was incorporated for the date for the first time. At the time, the theme was Improving the Quality of Mental Health Services Around the World. Since then, Every year a different theme is incorporated for the date. The topics already covered were:
- 1994: Improving the Quality of Mental Health Services Around the World
- 1996: Women and Mental Health
- 1997: Children and Mental Health
- 1998: Mental Health and Human Rights
- 1999: Mental Health and Aging
- 2000-2001: Mental Health and Work
- 2002: The Effects of Trauma and Violence on Children and Adolescents
- 2003: Emotional and Behavioral Disorders of Children and Adolescents
- 2004: The Relationship between Physical and Mental Health: concomitant disorders
- 2005: Lifelong Mental and Physical Health
- 2006: Building Awareness – Reducing Risks: mental illness and suicide
- 2007: Mental Health in a Changing World: the impact of culture and diversity
- 2008: Making Mental Health a Global Priority: expanding services through advocacy and citizen action
- 2009: Mental Health in Primary Care: improving treatment and promoting mental health
- 2010: Mental Health and Chronic Physical Illness
- 2011: The Big Push: investing in mental health
- 2012: Depression: a global crisis
- 2013: Mental Health and Elderly
- 2014: Living with Schizophrenia
- 2015: Dignity in Mental Health
- 2016: Psychological and Mental Health First Aid
- 2017: Mental Health at Work
- 2018: Young People and Mental Health in a Changing World
- 2019: Mental Health Promotion and Suicide Prevention
- 2020: Mental Health for all – Greater Investment – Greater Access
- 2021: Mental Health in an Unequal World
- 2022: Making Mental Health and Wellbeing for All a Global Priority
In 2023, the idea is to bring people together to discuss and reflect on the subject Mental Health is a Human Right Universal, as a way of promoting actions that promote and protect everyone's mental health as a human right universal.
World Mental Health Day goals
World Mental Health Day's main objective is draw attention to mental pathologies and their impacts on individual life, the family and work environment, and the dynamics of a country itself.
Based on this, the date seeks to increase awareness of issues related to mental health on a global scale, in addition to representing an opportunity for governance and people share their experiences and discuss what still needs to be done to make mental health care accessible to everyone in the world.
Importance of World Mental Health Day
World Mental Health Day raises awareness of the importanceneed to put the theme healthof mental on the agenda, normalizing issues related to it and aiming to reduce the stigma that surrounds it. Furthermore, this date encourages people to take care of their own healthof mental and to offer support to other who face these conditions, making them feel less isolated.
Creating a date to celebrate World Mental Health Day toom contributes to pressuring governments to allocate resources orçamentárivers to saúof mental. This is particularly important in low-income countries where access to treatment is limited. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), in 2020, on average, governments around the world allocated less than 2% of their healthcare budgets for mental health, highlighting the urgent need for investment and support in this area.
Important: Mental health is a broad concept that encompasses disorders such as autism, dyslexia It is depression even psychological and behavioral disorders related to the living conditions imposed by today's society, such as the anxiety. The World Mental Health Report, by the World Health Organization (WHO), published in 2022, revealed that, in 2019, one billion people lived with mental disorders. Despite the prevalence of these conditions around the world, mental health is still stigmatized in society. People who live with these challenges often face discrimination and different treatment, resulting in social exclusion. This can occur in different areas of life, including home, school, professional and hospital environments, leading many to feel ashamed to seek therapy or share their feelings. The importance of World Mental Health Day is highlighted in this sense.
See too: April 7th — World Health Day
Tips for maintaining mental health
Although research indicates that some psychological disorders are related to social and economic pressures imposed by society, and each disorder presents its own particularities, there are lifestyle habits that can be adopted to reduce the impacts of everyday life on mental health. Some of these practices include:
- Practice physical activities regularly.
- Maintain a healthy and balanced diet.
- Avoid isolation by maintaining ties with family and friends.
- Stimulate yourself intellectually.
- Make regular medical appointments.
- When necessary, follow the therapeutic treatment recommended by a healthcare professional.
Actions aimed at mental health in Brazil
The Ministry of Health coordinates the National Mental Health Policy, which consists of a set of strategies and guidelines aimed at organizing assistance to people with specific mental health needs in the country.
In addition to covering mental disorders, this public policy offers care for individuals facing dependence on psychoactive substances, such as alcohol, cocaine and other drugs. To implement these initiatives, the Psychosocial Care Network was created, consisting of units with different functions in the Unified Health System (SUS). These units assist and provide free assistance services to individuals in crisis situations.
Furthermore, the Ministryrio da Saúde works in partnership with the Center for the Valorization of Life (CVV) in promoting prevention actionsor related mental health and dependsência queimics, including initiatives aimed at suicide prevention.
CVV offers emotional support and help in preventing suicide free of charge, with assistance available by phone (number 188), email and chat. All conversations are kept confidential and the service is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. You can access the CVV website by clicking here.
Sources
MINISTRY OF HEALTH. Mental health. Ministry of Health, [n.d.]. Available in: https://www.gov.br/saude/pt-br/assuntos/saude-de-a-a-z/s/saude-mental.
Pan American Health Organization. World Mental Health Day 2023. Pan American Health Organization, 2023. Available in: https://www.paho.org/en/campaigns/world-mental-health-day-2023.
PINHEIRO, R. World Mental Health Day warns of the effects of the pandemic. Radio Senado, 2022. Available in: https://www12.senado.leg.br/radio/1/noticia/2022/10/07/dia-mundial-da-saude-mental-alerta-para-efeitos-da-pandemia#.
VARELLA, D. Saúof mental | Interview. Drauzio Varella, 2012. Available in: https://drauziovarella.uol.com.br/entrevistas-2/saude-mental-entrevista/.
World Federation for Mental Health.About the World Mental Health Day. World Mental Health Day, 2022. Available in: https://wmhdofficial.com/about-the-world-mental-health-day/.
WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION. World Mental Health Day. World Health Organization, c2023. Availableísee at: https://www.who.int/campaigns/world-mental-health-day.
Would you like to reference this text in a school or academic work? Look:
FLORES, Heloísa Fernandes. "October 10 — World Mental Health Day"; Brazil School. Available in: https://brasilescola.uol.com.br/datas-comemorativas/10-de-outubro-dia-mundial-da-saude-mental.htm. Accessed on October 10, 2023.
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