Make mental health and wellbeing for all a global priority…

This year’s World Mental Health Day comes at a time when we continue to face many unexpected challenges. As a result, Mental health problems continue to be a growing public health concern. They are prevalent not just in the UK but around the world.

The theme for 2023, set by the World Foundation of Mental Health, is ‘Mental health is a universal human right’.

The purpose of this day is to raise awareness of mental health and driving positive change for everyone’s mental health. It also provides an opportunity to talk about mental health, how to achieve good mental health, and how important it is to get professional help if you are struggling.

It is estimated that 1 in 6 people in the past week experienced a common mental health problem.⁴

  • Mental health problems are one of the main causes of the overall disease burden worldwide.¹
  • Mental health and behavioural problems (e.g. depression, anxiety and drug use) are the primary drivers of disability worldwide, causing over 40 million years of disability in 20 to 29-year-olds.²
  • Major depression is thought to be the second leading cause of disability worldwide and a major contributor to the burden of suicide and ischemic heart disease.³

We therefore heartily support the World Health Organisation call for greater investment in and access to mental health support for all – but we also urge that it must be the right kind of help.

We firmly believe that everyone should have access to clear, practical mental health support that works – and this was a driving force behind the creation of the human givens approach over 20 years ago.

Empowering and jargon-free, the human givens approach offers clear ways to make a difference – right now – to your own mental health, and to help others quickly too. Here are just a few of the steps you can take today:

I would recommend HG to anybody for anything, anywhere anytime any place, because it’s a lifeline...

Sue Hanisch

Reference

1. Vos, T., et al. (2013) Global, regional, and national incidence, prevalence, and years lived with disability for 301 acute and chronic diseases and injuries in 188 countries, 1990–2013: a systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study. The Lancet. 386 (9995). pp. 743-800.

2. Lozano, R. et al. (2012) Global and regional mortality from 235 causes of death for 20 age groups in 1990 and 2010. a systematic analysis for the global burden of disease study 2010. The Lancet. 380(9859), pp. 2095–2128.

3. Whiteford, H. A. et al. (2013) Global burden of disease attributable to mental and substance use disorders: findings from the Global Burden of Disease Study 2010. The Lancet. 382 (9904). pp. 1575-1586.

4. McManus S, Bebbington P, Jenkins R, Brugha T. (eds.) (2016) Mental health and wellbeing in England: Adult Psychiatric Morbidity Survey 2014. Leeds: NHS Digital. Available at: http://content.digital.nhs.uk/catalogue/PUB21748/apms-2014-full-rpt.pdf [Accesed 5 October 2016]

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