What Holiday is October 10? World Mental Health Day!

October 10th is a much needed opportunity to bring all things mental health to the forefront of professional conversations. Established by the World Health Organization in 1992, World Mental Health Day is an international campaign to improve awareness, knowledge, and action in communities across the globe.

With half the world’s population experiencing some form of mental health challenge during their lifetime, it’s more important than ever for healthcare professionals to actively inform themselves and incorporate more comprehensive perspectives into their work. Continuing education and interdisciplinary collaboration opportunities are constantly evolving, and deliver incredible potential to improve mental health outcomes for millions of patients.

By getting involved this October 10th, you can take another step forward in your career to help combat mental illness. Here’s what you need to know this year for World Mental Health Day, and how you can participate.

Major Mental Health Challenges

There are many different types of mental health disorders, and within each category there are subsets and variations that can evolve from a constellation of factors including environment, brain chemistry, nutrition, and substance abuse. It’s estimated that 1 in 8 people are currently suffering from one of the following mental health conditions, and the effects have a significant impact on socioeconomic factors well beyond an individual’s personal wellbeing:

Anxiety

Characterized by excessive worry or fear, anxiety and the behavioral changes that accompany it can vary in severity and complexity. Generalized anxiety disorder, panic disorder, social anxiety disorder, and separation anxiety disorder are just a few types of anxiety disorders that affect large segments of the global population of every age and ethnicity.

With symptoms that often include restlessness, elevated heart rate, sense of impending doom, rapid breathing, and sleep disturbances, anxiety takes both a daily toll on someone’s mental health and can seriously disrupt their long-term trajectory. Thankfully, effective psychological treatment exists like medication and therapy that can be personalized for optimal outcomes.

Depression

Depression is another very common mental health disorder impacting children, adolescents, and adults. With symptoms that often include feelings of sadness, irritability, poor concentration, lack of interest in activities, changes in sleep patterns, and hopelessness, depression can have a profound impact on many aspects of the person’s life. Depression is also associated with increased risk fo suicide, and often requires professional intervention and medication to manage.

Bipolar Disorder

Bipolar disorder is characterized by opposing extremes in characteristic behavior that alternate from depression to manic periods. Common symptoms include behaviors such as increased activity, talkativeness or pressured speech, euphoria, rapid fluctuation of self esteem, sleeping less than normal, and reckless behavior.

Obstacles to Universal Mental Health

Competing priorities and dynamics surrounding mental health have fostered a disconnect between policies and practices. Obstacles to universal mental health persist, creating another layer to the global burden through a number of challenges:

• Global conflict and crisis
• Access to medical care
• Health literacy
• Education for the healthcare workforce
• Health disparities
• Technology gaps

Healthcare workers also need to be prepared to manage patients experiencing specific issues that arise from major international issues, and be equipped with the training they need to provide support. Factors to be aware of include:

• Global conflict
• Substance abuse and addiction
• Poverty
• Human trafficking
• Domestic abuse

Improving Global Mental Health

The WHO’s Comprehensive Mental Health Action Plan 2013-2020, adopted by the Ministers of Health for 194 Member States identifies clear actions to promote mental health and well-being for all. Focusing on the prevention of mental health conditions for those at risk and establishing a mechanism for universal coverage for mental health services, the plan creates a positive mechanism for meaningful change.

Key elements include the creation of comprehensive integrated mental health and social care services in community-based settings, evolving strategies for promotion and prevention, and strengthened information systems.

What Holiday is October 10? Tell Everyone it’s World Mental Health Day!

World Mental Health Day 2024 offers an opportunity to focus on the widespread impact poor mental health has from your domestic practice to the farthest corners of the globe. Knowing what holiday is October 10 is a great first step, but what about the other 364 days out of the year? What part can you play?

Premiere courses like Self-Care and Mental Health by Margaret Chinn, MEd, MSW are excellent mental health awareness and training continuing education options for making an impact and meeting all your professional requirements. This October 10th, make empowering yourself to be an ally in the fight against mental health by being a better-informed advocate and provider a personal goal and a professional benefit.

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