Sun 10 October 2021:
October 10 is observed as World Mental Health Day across the globe every year. This day is meant to raise awareness on mental health issues and garner support on initiatives related to mental health and well-being.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), COVID-19 has majorly impacted people’s mental health. “Some groups, including health and other frontline workers, students, people living alone, and those with pre-existing mental health conditions, have been particularly affected. And services for mental, neurological and substance use disorders have been significantly disrupted,” stated the WHO on its website.
However, the WHO feels, not everything is lost, and there is cause for optimism. “During the World Health Assembly in May 2021, governments from around the world recognised the need to scale up quality mental health services at all levels. And some countries have found new ways of providing mental health care to their populations,” stated the WHO.
During this year’s World Mental Health Day 2021 campaign, the WHO will showcase such efforts made in some of these countries so that it’s an inspiration for others. The WHO’s campaign slogan for World Mental Health Day 2021 is “Mental health care for all: let’s make it a reality”.
World Mental Health Day was first observed on October 10, 1992, by the World Federation for Mental Health. In 1994, for the first time, a topic for the day was picked — ‘Improving the quality of mental health services throughout the world’.
Mental Health can manifest themselves in these forms:
1. Sleep disturbances: Some people may have increased sleep, while some might have increased sleep
2. Appetite: Some might eat less, however, many might eat more. Stress eating is extremely common, particularly, sweets and chocolates
3. Mood Disturbance: Persistent sadness, persistent anxiety, dip in energy levels, irritable behaviour, easily triggered, easy fatigue, overthinking, negative thinking, crying spells
4. Attention deficit, confusion, inability to take the decision
5. Suicidal thoughts in more severe cases
6. Heart palpitations
8. Headaches
9. Gastrointestinal problems such as acidity, burning, bloating, nausea, pain in the upper abdominal area, diarrhoea and constipation
10. Difficulty in breathing
11. Suffocation
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