From self-care to checking in with loved ones, here’s how to celebrate World Mental Health Day

‘Mental health is a universal human right’

With many struggling with mental health globally, World Mental Health Day seeks to raise awareness and destigmatise conversations surrounding mental health.

World Mental Health Day - recognised annually on 10 October - was established in 1992 through the World Federation for Mental Health. The organisation sought to bring attention to the ongoing mental health crisis by celebrating mental health advocacy and encouraging people worldwide to prioritise their mental wellbeing.

Mental health advocacy has been more necessary than ever. Each year, one in five American adults experience mental illness, while one in 20 contend with debilitating mental disorders, according to the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI). One in eight people reportedly live with a mental health condition that impacts their physical and social health, and these numbers are on the rise.

Advocates are trying to push for a more robust, accessible healthcare system. On a segment on the Today show, Phil Schermer, CEO of Project Healthy Minds, said: “It should be as easy to find mental health services in America as it is to book a flight, hotel or restaurant reservation.”

For World Mental Health Day 2023, the theme is “Our Minds, Our Rights,” which, according to the WHO, seeks to emphasise that “mental health is a universal human right”. The organisation added: “Mental health is a basic human right for all people. Everyone, whoever and wherever they are, has a right to the highest attainable standard of mental health.”

By checking in with your loved ones and friends - whether its a text, call, or making plans - people can help combat one of the key issues affecting worldwide mental health today: the loneliness epidemic. In May of this year, the US Surgeon General released an advisory warning the general public about the increase in loneliness in the United States and how it has been linked to lower lifespans.

Titled “Our Epidemic of Loneliness and Isolation,” the report found that, even pre-pandemic, a record amount of US adults had been experiencing loneliness to an unprecedented degree. The advisory added that loneliness could have devastating physical consequences, including a 29 per cent increased risk of heart disease; a 32 per cent increased risk of stroke; and a 50 per cent increased risk of developing dementia among older adults.

“In the last few decades, we’ve just lived through a dramatic pace of change,” Surgeon General Dr Vivek Murthy told NPR. “We move more, we change jobs more often, we are living with technology that has profoundly changed how we interact with each other and how we talk to each other.” He added to the outlet, “And you can feel lonely even if you have a lot of people around you because loneliness is about the quality of your connections.”

Nurturing your pre-existing connections and going out of your way to create new ones can not only “ease stress,” anxiety, or depression, but also “influence health-related behaviors,” according to the advisory report.

Another way people can celebrate World Mental Health Day is by prioritising self-care and mental breaks. Whether it's taking a day off from work, practicing yoga, or taking a relaxing bath, the National Mental Health Institute (NIMH) says that “self-care can play a role in maintaining your mental health and help support your treatment and recovery if you have a mental illness”.

Although there are many ways to practice self-care, the organisation advises that people try to prioritise sticking to a sleep schedule, exercising daily for a minimum of 30 minutes, and eating regular healthy meals. These three acts of self-care can make a big difference when struggling with mental health, and can provide a sense of stability and balance.