Today (10 October 2022) is World Mental Health Day and the World Federation for Mental Health (WFMH) have set this years theme as "make mental health and well-being for all a global priority", which was chosen by a global vote open to the public, WFMH members, stakeholders and supporters.
The WFMH's mission is:
In 2019 an estimated one in eight people globally were living with a mental disorder. However services, skills and funding available remain in short supply, especially in low and middle income countries. Covid-19, lockdowns, wars, displacement and the climate emergency have all had consequences for the well-being of world citizens.
It is estimated that there was a 25% increase in anxiety and depression during the first year of the pandemic, with mental health services becoming severely disrupted, resulting in a widening of the treatment gap. Rates of people experiencing suicidal thoughts are increasing globally, yet the WFMH say that mental health well-being is not always at the forefront of governments, those who pay for services, or society at large.
Stigma and discrimination continue to be a barrier to social inclusion, and access to the right care. In addition, the pandemic has shown that many health systems are ill-prepared to deal with the physical and mental health challenges faced by populations globally.
Nevertheless we can all play our part in increasing awareness about which preventative mental health interventions work.
Market research leader Ipsos' annual World Mental Health Day survey examines public perceptions and experiences around mental health in 34 countries between 22 July and 5 August 2022, including how:
Key findings of the report include:
In April 2022, the UK Government launched a mental health and wellbeing plan discussion paper, and call for evidence, which will inform a new cross-government mental health strategy. It focuses on six key areas, and how we can all:
Mental health in the workplace
The WFMH identified that employers are generally unprepared and put emphasis on the culture of workplaces needing to support the mental health and well-being of the workforce, so that employers are better prepared to support mental health well-being in the working population.
Good mental health at work and good management go hand-in-hand, and there is strong evidence that workplaces with high levels of mental wellbeing are more productive. Addressing wellbeing at work increases productivity by as much as 12%.
How employers can support people with mental health conditions
In 2017 the Thriving at Work report set out a framework of actions they recommend employers should put in place:
Stress and mental health at work
Employers have a legal duty to protect workers from stress at work by doing a risk assessment and acting on it. These six main areas of work can effect stress levels which need to be managed properly:
Work-related stress and mental health problems often go together and the symptoms can be very similar. It can aggravate existing mental health conditions, making it more difficult to control and can be hard to separate one from an other.
Employers can help manage and prevent stress by improving conditions at work. Taking action on work-related stress includes:
Advice for employees with mental health conditions
The Mental Health Foundation provides guidance for employees on how to look after your mental health generally and at work, which includes:
As it can be difficult to distinguish when stress begins to affect mental ill health, it is good for employees to help managers to identify problems and needs, through meetings, appraisals or informal chats.
World Mental Health Day 2022
Professor Gabriel Ivbigaro MBE JP, Secretary General of the WFMH, said that the theme "provides us with an opportunity to re-kindle our efforts to make the world a better place".
"There is a need to establish global mental health and well-being targets that can bring together evidence that captures the social determinants of health, including promoting exercise, widening access to good nutrition and food, all of which will have a positive impact on mental health and well-being".
"Civil society’s role needs to be enhanced and enabled so that people can make their own contribution to mental health and well-being in their communities and workplaces, including harnessing peer support".
The World Health Organisation's (WHO) statement on World Mental Health Day, concluded: "We envision a world in which mental health is valued, promoted and protected; where everyone has an equal opportunity to enjoy mental health and to exercise their human rights; and where everyone can access the mental health care they need".
"This will be an opportunity for people with mental health conditions, advocates, governments, employers, employees and other stakeholders to come together to recognise progress in this field and to be vocal about what we need to do to ensure mental health and well-being becomes a global priority for all".
For more information on this subject, see:
