World Mental Health Day

World Mental Health Day will be celebrated worldwide on October 10, 2019.

World Mental Health Day (WMHD) is a day for worldwide mental health education, awareness and advocacy against the social stigma that is associated with mental health. WMHD was first celebrated in 1992 at the initiative of the World Federation for Mental Health, and the Deputy Secretary General Richard Hunter. When it was first observed, there was no specific theme. Just the desire to promote mental health advocacy and to educate the public. In 1994, then Secretary General Eugene Brody suggested that WMHD was given the theme, "Improving the Quality of Mental Health Services Throughout the World". That theme stuck around for another year, but there has been a new theme every year since 1996.

WMHD is supported by the World Health Organization. They work to raise awareness of mental health issues through its relationships with the Ministries of health and civil society organizations worldwide.

The ultimate goal of WMHD is to give people worldwide the opportunity to openly discuss mental health, give providers and organizations a day to share their work, and to initiate a discussion around ending the stigma. There is also a strong emphasis on making mental health care easily available to everyone worldwide.

This year the theme is "Focus on Suicide Prevention". The hope is to raise awareness of really how big of a problem suicide has become around the world, and how we can each play a role in preventing it. 2019's WMHD is described in the flyer as being "A day for 40 seconds of action", because "Every 40 seconds someone loses their life to suicide".

Sometimes, the simple act of letting someone know that they are not alone is enough to save a life. But, I am encouraging you to get creative with your 40 seconds. Check out the World Mental Health Day flyer for more information, and for ideas of how to spend your 40 seconds. Just make sure that whatever you do, you share it using the hashtag #40seconds to get your voice heard and to increase awareness.

Last year on this blog I shared a post discussing suicide, the awful stigma and pieces of my own survival story. For my 40 seconds, I am going to share it again. You can read it here. Please share. Knowledge is power and there is strength in numbers. Let's end the stigma together.

If you or someone you know is struggling with thoughts of suicide, please contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255. You can also reach out to them 24/7 by using a chat feature on their website.

For further resources relating to suicide please visit the websites of these two additional supporters of World Mental Health Day.

International Association for Suicide Prevention
United for Global Mental Health