World Mental Health Day is being observed on Tuesday (today), a day dedicated to raising awareness about mental health, advocating for its importance, and promoting positive mental well-being for all.
This year, the theme of the day is “Mental health is a universal human right”.
President Dr Arif Alvi, in his message on the World Mental Health Day, called for creating awareness about mental health and well-being of people.
“We need an integrated approach to strengthen the existing infrastructure by using online mental health portals, virtual programs, artificial intelligence, mental health chatbots, helplines, mobilizing relevant government and other stakeholders, and forging public-private partnerships,” he said.
History
World Mental Health Day has a rich history dating back to 1992 when the World Federation for Mental Health (WFMH) initiated this global observance. However, the journey towards recognizing and addressing mental health challenges extends much further.
The seeds of this movement were planted in the early 20th century, as pioneers in psychology and psychiatry began to study and understand the intricacies of the human mind.
It wasn't until the mid-20th century that mental health began to receive more comprehensive attention, both in terms of research and public awareness.
The establishment of organizations like the WFMH, as well as the World Health Organization (WHO), played pivotal roles in pushing mental health issues to the forefront of global health discussions.
