World Mental Health Day 2024
World Mental Health Day 2024: Prioritizing Well-Being in Every Aspect of Life
11.10.24 – Teya Pichsinee, Maria Plexida
World Mental Health Day is a day of awareness, education and advocacy against the stigma regarding mental health. It is annually observed on October 10th every year. Each year carries a different theme on this day in aspects of mental health.
World Mental Health Day was celebrated for the first time in 1992 as the initiative of the World Federation for Mental Health, a worldwide organization concerned with mental health issues. It has since been supported by the WHO, an agency that provides much-needed visibility to mental health issues through its collaborations with Ministries of Health and civil society organizations around the world. WHO also supports this through developing technical and communications materials to support global education on mental health.
The Global Mental Health Crisis
Mental health conditions are common, and all categories of individuals in the world’s population are affected. According to the estimates of the WHO, one in every eight individuals in the world suffers from a mental disorder, ranging from depression and anxiety disorders to schizophrenia. In spite of the fact that mental illness is prevalent, many active barriers to care exist, stigma not being the only one, but mainly lack of resources and very poor funding for mental health services.
Mental health is a very important part of overall health, yet it often gets ignored or stigmatized. The purpose of Mental Health Day is to:
- Increase Awareness: Educating people about the conditions of mental health will help them understand mental illnesses better, dispel some misconceptions, and hopefully encourage more people to seek help when needed.
- Advocate: It is a day that requires the commitment of governments, health providers, and communities to mental health. It emphasizes the need for accessible, quality mental health services for all.
- Foster Support: Mental Health Day is a day that allows people to speak about their mental health challenges, break the silence of mental illness and support those in need.
Themes of World Mental Health Day
Each year, World Mental Health Day features a different theme to highlight key mental health issues. Here are a few examples from past years:
- 1994: Improving the Quality of Mental Health Services throughout the World
- 1998: Mental Health and Human Rights
- 2007: Mental Health in A Changing World: The Impact of Culture and Diversity
- 2012: Depression: A Global Crisis
- 2022: Make Mental Health & Well-Being for All a Global Priority
This year, in 2024, the theme is: “It is time to Prioritize Mental Health in the Workplace.”
Mental Health at Work
With approximately 60% of the global population in employment, attention to workplace mental health is of paramount importance. The pressing need for action is to prevent work-related mental health risks and to ensure that workplaces are protective and supportive of the mental well-being of their employees.
Risks to Mental Health in the Workplace
Among others, workers are discriminated against, face inadequate conditions of work, or lack of autonomy that challenges their mental health. These are especially the case for lowly paid or insecure jobs due to the usually insufficient protection for employees against psychosocial risks.
Effects on Individuals
A lack of proper support for individuals with mental health conditions can diminish their self-confidence, enjoyment of work, and capacity to perform their tasks. It can also lead to frequent absences or difficulty in maintaining employment. The effects extend to caregivers and family members, who also feel the strain.
Broader Impact on Work and Society
Poor mental health in the workplace leads to reduced performance, increased absenteeism, and higher staff turnover. Mental health conditions such as depression and anxiety account for the loss of approximately 12 billion workdays globally each year.
Supporting Workers to Thrive in the Workplace
Employers should implement reasonable accommodations to assist employees with mental health conditions. This could include scheduling regular check-ins, allowing for frequent breaks, gradually reintroducing tasks, and providing facilities for medication storage.
Training Managers to Address Mental Health
Training managers to recognize and address workplace stress is crucial. With proper training, managers can better support their teams and contribute to a healthier, more positive work environment.
Taking Care of Your Own Mental Health
While it is the governments and employers who bear the key responsibility with regard to protection of mental health at work, individuals themselves can take appropriate steps to manage their well-being by learning stress-management techniques and being critical about changes in mental health. Sometimes, if necessary, one has to reach out for help with a trusted friend, colleague, supervisor, or healthcare professional.
Do you have any experiences or challenges related to mental health in your workplace?
We invite you to share your feelings and to join the discussion on how we can all work together to put mental health at the forefront in the workplace.
As today is World Mental Health Day, let this remind us loudly that mental health is something nobody should play with. We hope to create a world where mental health is treated like any other human right through increased awareness, advocacy, and breaking of stigma.
That’s why at Wellbeing for Everyone we also provide businesses with educational workshops to enhance mental health for better wellbeing among employees in the workplace.
Want to know more? Write to us at info@wellbeing4everyone.com
