"VAN" (Europe Bureau - Aleksey Vesyoliy) :: World’s population has reached 7.5 billion and the number is growing by 1.18 % per year, or additional 83 million people annually. Approximately 450 million people suffer from mental and behavioural disorders worldwide and 1 in 4 will develop one or more of these disorders during their lifetime according to estimates of World Health Organisation. Mental and behavioural disorders are not exclusive to any special group: they are found in people of all regions, all countries and all societies. Mental and behavioural disorders are present about 10% of the adult population worldwide.

Mental and neurological disorders account for 13% of the total Disability Adjusted Life Years lost due to all diseases and injuries in the world. 5 of the 10 leading causes of disability worldwide are psychiatric conditions, including depression, alcohol use, schizophrenia and compulsive disorder. Projections estimate that by the year 2020 neuropsychiatric conditions will account for 15% of disability worldwide. The economic impact of mental disorders is wide-ranging, long-lasting and enormous. These disorders impose a range of costs on individuals, families and communities.

The World Health Organisation recognizes World Mental Health Day on 10th October every year with the overall objective of raising awareness of mental health issues around the world and mobilizing efforts in support of mental health.

We all have times when we feel down or stressed or frightened. Most of the time those feelings pass, but sometimes they develop into a more serious problem and that could happen to any one of us. Everyone is different. Your mental health doesn’t always stay the same. It can change as circumstances change and as you move through different stages of your life. Mental health problems range from the worries we all experience as part of everyday life to serious long-term conditions. Anxiety and depression are the most common problems. The majority of people who experience mental health problems can get over them or learn to live with them, especially if they get help early on.

Emotional well-being refers to the emotional quality of an individual's everyday experience, for example, the frequency and intensity of experiences of joy, stress, sadness, anger, and affection that make one's life pleasant or unpleasant. Emotional well-being is a term that has seen increasing use in recent decades and mental health has typically been left out of public discussions and national planning for centuries. However, mental health problems are generally characterized by some combination of abnormal thoughts, emotions, behavior and relationships with others. Schizophrenia, depression, intellectual disabilities and disorders due to drug abuse - most of these disorders can be successfully treated. Most people who experience mental health problems recover fully, or are able to live with and manage them, especially if they get help early on.

Mental disorders comprise a broad range of problems with different symptoms. Most mental health symptoms have traditionally been divided into groups called either ‘neurotic’ or ‘psychotic’ symptoms. ‘Neurotic’ covers those symptoms which can be regarded as severe forms of ‘normal’ emotional experiences such as depression, anxiety or panic. Conditions formerly referred to as ‘neuroses’ are now more frequently called ‘common mental health problems.’ Less common are ‘psychotic’ symptoms, which interfere with a person’s perception of reality, and may include hallucinations such as seeing, hearing, smelling or feeling things that no one else can. Mental health problems affect the way you think, feel and behave. They are problems that can be diagnosed by a doctor, not personal weaknesses.

Poor mental health is both a contribution to and a consequence of wider health inequalities 

Even though so many people are affected from mental disorders worldwide, there is a strong social stigma attached to mental health problems, and people with mental health problems can experience discrimination in all aspects of their lives.

There’s a stigma attached to mental health problems. This means that people feel uncomfortable about them and don’t talk about them much. Many people don’t even feel comfortable talking about their feelings, but it’s healthy to know and say how you’re feeling.

Many people who live with a mental health problem or are developing one try to keep their feelings hidden because they are afraid of other people’s reactions. And many people feel troubled without having a diagnosed, or diagnosable, mental health problem - although that doesn’t mean they aren’t struggling to cope with daily life.

People with mental health problems say that the social stigma attached to mental health problems and the discrimination they experience not only from society, but also from families, friends and employers, make it harder to recover.

Discrimination seems to be contagious, as it hurts those who love and support a person with a mental illness as well. Families are a core group of caregivers and a key support system for people with mental illnesses. Not only do families of people with mental illnesses have to cope with the financial, practical and emotional stressors of caring, but they face discrimination as well. They have to deal with strained relationships with other family members or friends, fear, violence, anxiety, conflict, lowered self-esteem, and guilt. Discrimination against family members stems from misconceptions about the family’s role in the causes of mental illness, guilt for failing to recognize symptoms earlier, and/or the stress of advocating for treatments against the wishes of their ill relative and in the face of inadequate services.

Nearly nine out of ten people with mental health problems say that stigma and discrimination have a negative effect on their lives. Discriminatory attitudes in the community toward people with mental illness foster feelings of shame in a person. Shame which in turn impacts that person’s help-seeking and treatment behaviour, recovery and relapse rate.

People with mental health problems are amongst the least likely of any group with a long-term health condition or disability to: find work; be in a steady, long-term relationship; live in decent housing or be socially included in mainstream society. This is because society in general has stereotyped views about mental illness and how it affects people. Many people believe that people with mental health problems are violent and dangerous, when in fact they are more at risk of being attacked or harming themselves than harming other people.

Stigma and discrimination can also worsen someone's mental health problems. Social isolation, poor housing, unemployment and poverty are all linked to mental health problems. Stigma and discrimination can trap people in a cycle of illness. The situation is exacerbated by the media. Media reports often link mental illness with violence or portray people with mental health problems as dangerous, criminal, evil or very disabled and unable to live normal, fulfilled lives.

Mental health, wellbeing and resilience are crucial to a host of social care and economic benefits – as well as supporting physical health, positive relationships, education and work.

Social psychology has demonstrated how the need for identity and sense of belonging are important to everyone at any age

Researches show that awareness of mental health is most effective when it takes place early in a persons’ life.  Children social and emotional wellbeing is integral to their overall health, development and wellbeing. Children with high levels of social and emotional wellbeing are more likely to successfully negotiate physical, intellectual and social challenges during childhood and adolescence.  Meanwhile, growing number of researches have found that  more than half of all adults with mental health problems were diagnosed in childhood, but less than half of these people were given the right treatment or support at the time – in fact, 75% of lifetime mental disorders begin before the age of 18. This situation dramatically changes a person’s ability to plan their future and their general outlook on life.  

Suicide prevention
Theme set by the World Federation for Mental Health in 2019 is suicide prevention.

Every 40 seconds, someone loses their life to suicide

There are growing concerns about current rates of adolescent depression and youth suicide. Every 40 seconds a person dies by suicide somewhere in the world. Over 800 000 people die by suicide every year.  It is the second leading cause of death in 15-29 year olds.

Suicide is a global phenomenon and occurs throughout the lifespan. 79% of suicides occurred in low- and middle-income countries in 2016. Suicide accounted for 1.4% of all deaths worldwide, making it the 18th leading cause of death in 2016, according to World Health Organisation. Effective and evidence-based interventions can be implemented at population, sub-population and individual levels to prevent suicide and suicide attempts. There are indications that for each adult who died by suicide there may have been more than 20 others attempting suicide.

Every suicide is a tragedy. The impact on families, friends and communities is devastating and far reaching, even long after persons dear to them have taken their own lives. Unfortunately, suicide all too often fails to be prioritized as a major public health problem. Despite an increase in research and knowledge about suicide and its prevention, the taboo and stigma surrounding suicide persist and often people do not seek help or are left alone and if they do seek help, many health systems and services fail to provide timely and effective help. Suicides are preventable. For national responses to be effective, a comprehensive multi sectoral suicide prevention strategy is needed.

How you can break mental health stigma ?

The health status of each person in any age results from a combination of several factors: genetic characteristics, personal behaviour, socio-economic background and physical environment. The transition from childhood to adulthood is very specific period, thus  it is important to have a clear picture of the particular health condition and risks affected by biological, psychological,  economic, social and cultural circumstances.

Mental disorders often affect and are affected by other diseases such as cancer, cardiovascular disease and HIV infection/AIDS, and as such require common services and resource mobilization efforts. For example, according to World Health Organisation, there is evidence that depression predisposes people to myocardial infarction and diabetes. Many risk factors such as low socioeconomic status, alcohol use and stress are common to both mental disorders and other diseases.

There are also interrelationships between mental and physical health. For example, cardiovascular disease can lead to depression and vice versa. Mental and physical health can also be related through common risk factors, such as poor housing leading to both poor mental and poor physical health. Major understanding is needed of the relations between different mental disorders, between mental health and physical health, and on the developmental pathways of generic and disease-specific risk factors leading to mental health problems.

Determinants of mental health and mental disorders include not only individual attributes such as the ability to manage one’s thoughts, emotions, behaviours and interactions with others, but also social, cultural, economic, political and environmental factors such as national policies, social protection, living standards, working conditions, and community social supports.

Campaigning for better mental health support and investment is incredibly rewarding, but can be hard at times. Promoting mental health and preventing mental illness, can increase the number of people who enjoy good mental health and reduce, to the greatest extent possible, the number of people whose mental health is poor, who experience the symptoms of mental health problems or illnesses, or who die by suicide. Enhancing factors that are known to help protect people and  having a sense of belonging, enjoying good relationships and good physical health and diminishing factors that put them at risk, such as  childhood trauma or  social isolation, can reduce the onset of some mental health problems and illnesses, reduce symptoms and disability, and support people in their journey of recovery.

World Health Organisation’s  comprehensive Mental health action plan 2013-2020 was adopted during the 66th World Health Assembly already in 2012. The major objectives of the action plan are to:

• strengthen effective leadership and governance for mental health.
• provide comprehensive, integrated and responsive mental health and social care services in community-based settings.
• implement strategies for promotion and prevention in mental health.
• strengthen information systems, evidence and  research for mental health.

Mental health has been included in the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals

For the first time, world leaders recognized the promotion of mental health and well-being, and the prevention as health priorities within the global development agenda. The inclusion of mental health in the Sustainable Development Agenda, which was adopted at the United Nations General Assembly in September 2015, is likely to have a positive impact on communities and countries where millions of people will receive much needed help.

Evidence shows that improved mental health provision can have significant benefits for social and economic development. For every dollar invested in care for depression and anxiety, there is a $5.70 return on economic and health benefits.

5 things that, according to researches, can help to boost your mental wellbeing:

• Connect – connect with the people around you: your family, friends, colleagues and neighbours. Spend time developing these relationships.
• Be active – you don't have to go to the gym. Take a walk, go cycling or play a game of football. Find an activity that you enjoy and make it a part of your life.
• Keep learning – learning new skills can give you a sense of achievement and a new confidence.
• Give to others – even the smallest act can count, whether it's a smile, a thank you or a kind word. Larger acts, such as volunteering at your local community centre, can improve your mental wellbeing and help you build new social networks.
• Be mindful – be more aware of the present moment, including your thoughts and feelings, your body and the world around you. Some people call this awareness "mindfulness". It can positively change the way you feel about life and how you approach challenges.

The distinction between health promotion and prevention lies in their targeted outcomes. Mental health promotion aims to promote positive mental health by increasing psychological well-being, competence and resilience, and by creating supporting living conditions and environments. Mental disorder prevention has as its target the reduction of symptoms and ultimately of mental disorders. It uses mental health promotion strategies as one of the means to achieve these goals. Mental health promotion when aiming to enhance positive mental health in the community may also have the secondary outcome of decreasing the incidence of mental disorders. Positive mental health serves as a powerful protective factor against mental illness. However, mental disorders and positive mental health cannot be described as the different ends of a linear scale, but rather as two overlapping and interrelated components of a single concept of mental health.

To reduce the health, social and economic burdens of mental health, it is essential that countries and regions pay greater attention to prevention and promotion of mental health at the level of policy formulation, legislation, decision-making and resource allocation within the overall health care system.

It is a journey that won’t always be easy. Addressing mental health as everyday issues will contribute to achieving broader goals such as increasing employability, improving physical health, helping people to do better in school and work, and reducing crime and community and overcoming personal insecurities, isolation and marginalization.

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Publication author: Sintija Bernava
Chairwoman of the Board of Non Governmental Organisation "Donum Animus" (Latvia). 
"Donum Animus" is the only  Non Governmental Organisation from Latvia holding Special Consultative Status of the Economic and Social Council of the United Nations.

Please read full story with pictures at EUNetwork.lv!