Why Is World Mental Health Day Important?

Why is World Mental Health Day Important?

The first-ever celebration for world mental health day was in 1992. Initiated by the World Federation for Mental Health, it aims to raise awareness for mental health worldwide. Furthermore, the aim is to mobilisee efforts to support mental health and give people the power to express their problems without being judged.

How To Raise Awareness

Mental health can be a silent killer, and it can come suddenly. Raising awareness is a simple way of showing those around you that you care.

Talk To People You Know. – Speaking to family members or friends about how they’re doing and listening to the answers is a great place to start. For example, if they seem to be depressed, your chat might be what helps them get into a better spirit. Remind them that there are resources available to them and that you’re free to chat. Remind them that if they feel suicidal or are considering self-harm, encourage them to seek help.
Share Your Experience. – If you’ve struggled and have gone through difficulties with mental illness, share your story with those that might be struggling also—hearing another person who has made it through the same difficulty can be a sign of relief and encouragement.
Use Social Media – Why not take your message to the masses! You never know who will see your page, and guess what? That one post you made about social media and the places to go if you’re struggling could be what saved someone’s life. Inspire people to be open-minded when it comes to mental illness.

How To Overcome Stigma In Mental Health?

Stigma in mental health is enormous, and millions of lives are lost because of this. For those that don’t know, stigma is when someone negatively sees you because of a specific issue, in our case, mental health. Arguably men are mostly affected by this, and it all stems from our childhood and the common phrase “man up” or “men don’t cry”. This thinking conditions men into thinking they cannot speak out about their problems and tend to hold it in until it’s too late. So, let’s discuss some ways of how to battle this stigma.

Be Conscious Of What You Say – Like the previously mentioned language, be conscious of what you say to someone and explain to those who speak negatively why it could be so problematic.
Equality Between Mental and Physical Illness – As mental illness could seem invisible, it’s pretty easy to overlook it and think physical conditions should have more priority. However, the facts behind these two show that they are both severe and should be treated equally.
Don’t Harbour Negative Feelings – Because of the stigma that exists, it can seem complicated to seek help out of the fear of being looked at differently, but seeking help can you to feel better and think more clearly.