Observance of World Mental Health Month
Dignity in mental health-Psychological & mental health first aid for all!

Dr N Heramani Singh *

BACKGROUND

World Mental Health Month is an initiative of the World Federation for Mental Health (WFMH). The World Health Organization which is the UN’S directing and coordinating authority for health supports this event. World Mental Health Day is annually held on October 10th to raise public awareness about mental health issues worldwide.

Since 1992 more than 150 countries observe this day for promotion of mental health and awareness to the public and also for challenging the stigma and discrimination that surround mental health.

Mental disorders affect nearly 12 percent of the world’s population – about 450 million or one out of every four people around the world – will experience a mental illness that would benefit from diagnosis and treatment. WHO statistics for 2002 showed that 154 million people globally suffered from depression, which is a form of mental illness.

According to WHO, mental health is defined as a state of wellbeing in which people realize their own potential, can cope with normal life stresses, can work productively, and can contribute to their community.

One in four adults will experience mental health difficulties at one time or the other but many receive little or no help when they present in an emergency. In contrast the majority of people with physical health difficulties who present in an emergency in a public or hospital setting will be offered physical health firs aid.

Mental health crisis and distress are viewed differently because of ignorance, poor knowledge, stigma and discrimination. This cannot continue to be allowed to happen, especially as we know that there can be no health without mental health. Psychological and mental health first aid should available to all., and not just a few.

This is the reason why the World Federation for Mental Health (WFMH) has chosen psychological and mental health first as its theme for World Mental Health Day, 2016.

REASON FOR OBSERVANCE

We know that psychological and mental health first aid is understood by different people in the mental health professions and the general public.

WFMH wants to develop a shared understanding of basic psychological and mental health aid that will be understood worldwide by the general public, professionals, governments and non-governmental institutions (NGO’s).

Our aim is that every member of the general public can:-
> Learn how to provide basic psychological and mental health first aid so that they can provide support to distressed individuals in the same way as they do in physical health crises.
> Address the stigma associated with mental ill-health so that dignity is promoted and respected.
> Empower people to take action to promote mental health,
> Spread understanding of the equal importance of mental and physical health and their integration in care and treatment.
> To work with individuals and institutions to develop best practice in psychological and mental health first aid.
> To provide culturally sensitive learning materials to increase the skills of the general public in administering psychological and mental health first aid.

Lessons need to be learn from the way professionals and the general public have been involved in developing the skills required to deliver Basic Life Supports (BLS) and Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR).

To deliver psychological and mental health first aid properly, training is not enough. There is also the need for mental health promotion and good access to health providers. The world is going through a crisis. There are many disasters and wars, migration is a growing problem and many people require basic psychological and mental health first aid to prevent their health from deteriorating and to empower them to take action to improve their mental health.

Every 40 seconds somebody somewhere in the world dies by suicide, and the young are disproportionately affected. Providing more people with basic psychological and mental health first aid skills will help to decrease the rate of suicide.

Psychological and mental distress can happen anywhere – in our homes, in our schools, in the workplace, on the transport system, in the supermarket, in public spaces, in the military and in hospital. Psychological and mental health first aid is a potentially life-saving skill that we all need to have.

Please support WFMH to make this a global reality so that we can make the world a better place.

CONCLUSIVE VOICE

Indian Psychiatric Society, Manipur State Branch raise a humble appeal to the people that everybody should challenge the stigma and discrimination that surround mental health and rather in place of that we have to provide psychological and mental health “First Aid” to anybody who is in mental crisis and distress and we can make this native land to be a very peaceful place to live happily.