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When is World Mental Health Day
World Mental Health Day is celebrated on 10th October every year. The day is marked for global mental health education and awareness. The day is also celebrated to advocate against social stigma associated with mental health issues. The day was celebrated for the first time in 1992 at the initiative of the World Federation for Mental Health, a global mental health organisation with members in more than 150 countries.
What is mental health?
Mental health is the state of someone who is “functioning at a satisfactory level of emotional and behavioural adjustment”. It is the absence of any mental illness. According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), mental health is "subjective well-being, perceived self-efficacy, autonomy, competence, intergenerational dependence, and self-actualisation of one's intellectual and emotional potential, among others".
Mental Health issues may arise because of depression, stress, loneliness, anxiety, death of loved ones, mood disorders and various other mental illnesses. Therapy, counselling, or medication can help overcome these illnesses.
Social stigma associated with mental health
Mental health problems are some of the most common health issues people are facing. However, the social stigma associated with it only makes the problem worse. The stigma disallows people to accept there is any problem which aggravates the situation. There is a total lack of awareness and sensitivity about the issue in our societies. Due to the social stigma associated with mental health, many patients decline to visit a doctor for help. With no professional help, the patients can move towards taking extreme steps.
People with mental health illness also face discrimination which also has the potential to make the situation go worse.
Mental Health in India
According to a WHO report, India is the most depressed country in the world. The report says, between 1990 and 2017, one in seven people from India have suffered mental illness such as depression, anxiety and other severe conditions. India also has a very low number of health professionals to deal with mental health issues. These challenges require government’s as well as citizens' immediate attention.