World Mental Health Day: Time to Reboot

October 10^th, 2020

Like every year World Mental Health Day has arrived but this year it has come at the time when our daily lives have changed significantly due to COVID-19 pandemic. Mental health has been one of the most neglected parts of public health despite of increased need for mental health care facilities; however, this pandemic has made people much aware about the mental health issues and possible treatment options. During this pandemic when people faced trauma due to isolation, lock down, job loss, financial insecurity, fear of disease, many mental health professionals came in front line to extend online psychological support to help people deal with their anxieties.

This year, World Mental Health Day aims at encouraging a “massive scale up in investment in mental health”. It is observed that countries spend only 2% of the funds for mental health; however, the need is much more demanding. This world mental health day gives an opportunity to various persons possessing authority positions and those who can and must make a difference in this hour of need. The company leaders must start mental health and wellness programs for their employees and their families to deal and fight through this difficult time and invest in their mental health care needs. As local governing bodies, authorities can scale up new and the existing mental health care facilities in interest of local population and serve for their wellbeing. Educational institutions are all set to reopen the schools and colleges; hence, they should be ready to extend psychological support to teachers, parents and of course the budding minds who are going to come out of their homes and resume school/college life after such a long time and obviously with so many dos and don’ts. Media, an eternal part of current world should take the responsibility to make mental health a part of real world and spread awareness about the sensitivity of mental health issues and available treatment options. We, as a society, have some responsibility towards others. This world mental health day, is an opportunity for each one of us to commit and contribute for our society. Anyone in need for psychological support should not be neglected especially in this difficult time. As humans we all have the capacity to provide basic support to others; however, if it seems more crucial tell them about available mental health care facilities where various mental health care professionals are working in front line to provide psychological support to those who have been stabbed by this pandemic.

This world mental health day comes with an opportunity to “invest” in mental health and “reboot” the wellbeing.