One of the elements of our overall well-being is a healthy body and a healthy mind. We all are aware of physical health, but we still need to understand the importance of our mental well-being.
Mental Health is a global problem; every five adults suffers from mental illness yearly. These shocking statistics show that even children are not safe from mental health issues. There is a lot of stigma attached to it, and that’s why it is important to talk about mental health and recognize good mental health efforts.
Every year on October 10th, we celebrate World Mental Day. According to WHO, if we don’t act seriously by the year 2023, depression will be the leading illness globally. World mental health day aims to raise awareness for our mental well-being and mobilize the effort to support mental health.
What is World Mental Health Day?
WHO defines health as a person’s overall wellness, a state of social, physical, mental, and spiritual well-being. More precisely, mental wellness can be defined as an individual’s mentality to cope with life’s challenges making contributions to their community. In a positive sense, mental health is the foundation of one’s cognitive ability and overall health.
World mental health day is an advocacy and awareness program started by the World Federation for mental health. World Mental Health Day was first celebrated in 1992 as an initiative to support mental wellness. It is one of the world health organization’s most recognized and far-reaching programs.
The World Mental Health Federation was established in 1948 in London, serving the purpose of advocacy and education to raise awareness of mental health. Each year the World Health Federation picks a special theme for the program, creates educational material, and makes it available for organizations around the globe through downloads and distribution. Until 1994 there was no special theme for the program. In 1994, the program was first celebrated with the theme of promoting mental health advocacy and educating the public.
Why is mental health important?
Mental Health is paramount in today’s world. It has been an issue in many countries, including major countries like the U.S. and Canada. It’s hard to deny that we need mental awareness programs and events every year.
Everyone should prioritize their mental well-being. Mental health directly affects the way we think and make decisions in our life.
WHO reported a sharp increase in mental health cases in recent years. After the pandemic, exacerbating mental health problems is a deep concern for countries.
More than 450 million people globally suffer from any type of mental illness. The more we progress, the more we suffer under the burden of ill health. Surprisingly, developed and developing countries are more prone to the risk of the global burden of mental health. The mental health burden is increasing beyond the treatment capacity, so it is important to discuss it.
Your mental health is equal to your physical health. This aspect of your life determines how well you operate psychologically, emotionally, and socially. Physical and mental health are cordially related if one is not good, the other will be affected. It has been proven that depression leads to certain health problems like heart and vascular diseases.
Mental health issues also affect a person’s external behavior, like mood swings and health behavior like eating abruptly, lack of sleep, avoiding social circles, adhering to medical therapies, avoiding exercises, and increasing the risk of physical illness. Mental issues can lead to social problems like employment, poor relationships, broken families, poverty, drug addiction, and crime
Reasons to care about mental health:-
Maintaining positive mental health is crucial to ensure your overall well-being and cope with negative emotions and thoughts. Prioritizing mental health can improve productivity, our self-image, and our quality of life.
Nurturing mental health does not merely change one aspect of your life, but you see a difference in your day-to-day life. By focusing on your mental well-being, you can combat some of the physical health problems directly linked to mental health.
Below are some benefits of good mental health:-
- Improved mood and health
- Reducing anxiety and stress level
- Creating a sense of peace and contentment
- Improves our decision-making ability
- Boosts self-confidence
- Create a positive impact on our social life and relationships
Why should we raise awareness about mental well-being?
Because mental health is important in all aspects of our life, we should be aware of it. It’s important to make people aware of mental health. In this way, we can think, approach and identify the mental issues in our society.
Being honest about the situation is important. Having a conversation and being open about how we are feeling can make a lot of difference. By addressing the problem, we can come up with a solution. We should remove the native mentality and fear associated with topics surrounding poor mental health. Asking for help is not a sign of your weakness; everyone should know it. By coming together, we can talk about the issue and build a foundation that honors the importance of good mental health.
Final thoughts:-
Your mental health can profoundly impact all areas of your life. If you are finding any issue with your well-being, you should not ignore it. You can ask for help from your friends, family, or therapist. Remember, nothing is more important than your life; you can always find healthier ways to cope with difficult times.
