Freya Annaliese Carson - World Mental Health day

World Mental Health Day  

World Mental Health Day was established on October 10th,1992, by the World Federation for Mental Health. Since then, every year, a theme has been set to spread awareness on different aspects of mental health on a global scale for a better understanding of mental health. 

Mental health affects everyone, every day of the year, but on October 10th, it is an opportunity to show our support for one another regarding mental health and towards better wellbeing. 

This year’s theme for World Mental Health Day is Mental Health in Humanitarian Emergencies. The theme highlights how important it is to protect our mental health in times of stress and instability, especially during times of crisis, as it saves lives and gives people the strength to cope with what is going on and the space for them to heal. That is why coming together on October 10th, we can work toward a time where the most vulnerable people can get the help they need, and we can also protect our own mental health and well-being.  

Everything that is going on in the world can be very overwhelming, especially with all the news and posts, and even though it is important to keep informed, it is understandable for it to become distressing and can make it hard for us to process everything else and causing fatigue. When it gets like this, it is important to talk to others, set boundaries with the news and focus on what you can control.  

Everyone’s mental health is important and deserves to be looked after, especially with everything going on in the world, as well as juggling your studies. It is more than okay to ask for help, especially when you are feeling overwhelmed. You deserve to feel heard and to receive support when you need it.  

Ways to take care of your mental health and wellbeing: 

• Talk with your friends and family when you feel overwhelmed or stressed 

• Try and get closer to nature, whether going out for walks or sitting in the park, getting away from the busy parts of life and taking a break. 

• Getting more from your sleep, when our mental health falters, sleep is likely to falter too. Adults need around 7-9 hours of sleep a night. Some things you can do are avoid screens before bed and try and go to bed at the same time and wake up at the same time, every day of the week 

• Plan things to look forward to - life can be hectic, so having things to look forward to will help centre yourself  

It is easy to lose yourself in how fast-moving life can be, so it is best to make sure you take time out for yourself and to recharge and reset, and it is more than okay to do that. Try and do things that make you feel good, whether it is reading, playing video games, or listening to music.  

How can you take part in World Mental Health Day? 

• Take part in the walk 100 miles in November challenge 

• Spread awareness by posting on social media  

• Plan a hangout with people you know 

• Mental Health Foundation has a tea and talk, which is an event that you can host yourself to give people around you and yourself space to talk about mental health (and if you can raise funds, you could donate them to the foundation to help with their work for advocating with mental health)  

World Mental Health Day is an important day to check in with yourself and to make sure all your needs are being met, whether it's taking space from your phone, the news, or catching up on rest or buying yourself a sweet treat. World Mental Health Day is the day to take care of your own well-being.  

Written by: Freya Annaliese Carson