WORLD MENTAL HEALTH DAY

World mental health day is celebrated at 10th October every year with a view to prorogate mental health education, awareness and to stop the stigma against mental health. It's the day when millions of supporters around the world celebrate the day by participating in wellness programs and by bringing to attention the major effects and major illnesses related to mental health.

It was first celebrated in 1992 at the initiative of the World Federation of Mental Health, a global mental health organization with members and contacts in more than 150 countries. It was the initiative of Deputy Secretary General Richard Hunter.

For first two years, the day had no specific theme other than promoting mental health education and awareness. But in 1994, the day was celebrated with a theme of 'Improving the Quality of Mental Health Services throughout the World.'

In 2019 the theme of World mental health day was “Mental health promotion and suicide prevention” and in 2020 the theme is “Move for mental health: Increased investment in mental health”.

2020 theme is designed with COVID-19 keeping in mind. These past month have brought many challenges to all of us lives. Some had to face significantly more than others to which one cannot refuse to acknowledge the great deal of mental stress of our health workers. Working in these difficult times fearful of bringing back COVID-19 home with them, for teachers and students the pattern of classes from home, with little contact with teachers and friends, and anxious about their futures; for workers whose livelihoods are threatened; for the vast number of people caught in poverty or in fragile humanitarian settings with extremely limited protection from COVID-19; and for people with mental health conditions, many experiencing even greater social isolation than before. And this is to say nothing of managing the grief of losing a loved one, sometimes without being able to say goodbye.

BY PRATHAM