World Mental Health Day: Young People And Mental Health In A Changing World
World Mental Health Day is observed on October 10 across the world. The goal is to create and increase awareness and advocate against social stigma, apparently being that stigma that comes with mental illness keeps people locked up in pretense till the unavoidable symptoms reveals at dangerous stages.
Each World Mental Health Day has a theme to focus on. This year, it is Young People and Mental Health in a Changing World.
According to WHO, there is a recognition of the importance of building mental resilience from the earliest ages in order to cope with the challenges of today’s world.
It has been observed that half of all mental illness begins by the age of 14, bit most cases go undetected and untreated. Suicide and depression being the second and third leading cause of death among 15-29 year-olds respectively. Evidence is growing that promoting and protecting adolescents’ health brings benefits not just to adolescents’ health but also to the society at large.
In a changing world where growing up on the internet, increased use of online technologies bombards young people with unachievable lifestyles to compare theirs to. Gender identity discrimination which onsets major mental illness requires time and absolute compassion and attention.
However, prevention begins with better understanding of early warning signs and symptoms. To this end, parents, teachers and every other person should read often about these things and stay alert, paying close attention because ignorance is the most deadliest and violent element in our society and proper compassion and attention could be keys to unlocking people.
Let the awareness continue and the the stigma fade away so that we can save more lives and build a better world.
