World Mental Health Day 2022: A Background

By: Sukhada

Published On: October 07, 2022

We all know about the Alia Bhatt and Shah Rukh Khan starrer ‘Dear Zindagi’. The movie revolves around Kaira (Alia Bhatt), a young cinematographer seeking help from Jehangir (Shah Rukh Khan), a psychotherapist for her emotional issues. The film throws a light on the emotional complexities faced by people and how getting therapy or treatment can help them recover.

However, many hesitate to talk about their mental health issues due to the stigma associated with it. To educate people about mental health and to spread awareness regarding the stigma around mental illnesses, World Mental Health Day is annually observed on the 10th of October.

This year, the day is being celebrated with the theme ‘Making Mental Health and Well-Being for All a Global Priority’.

Picture source: www.istockphoto.com

The Chronicle

Deputy Secretary General Richard Hunter started the event in 1992. For the initial two years, there was no theme associated with the day. However, in 1994, World Mental Health Day was observed with the theme ‘Improving the Quality of Mental Health Services throughout the World’. The theme was suggested by Secretary General Eugene Brody.

For the year 2021, the theme was ‘Mental Health in an Unequal World’.

On this day, individuals wear lime green ribbons to show people around them that they care about their mental health.

Picture source: www.istockphoto.com

The Story Behind The Green Ribbon

In the 1800s, a bright green colored dye was introduced in Europe to hats, shoes, clothes, and artificial flowers. Women loved the green dyed clothes and were especially fond of the flowers which they used to style their hair. However, the green dye was made using arsenic, a dangerously toxic metal and mercury, yet another poisonous metal. The items were so poisonous that they are highly dangerous to handle even today. So, what exactly did the clothes do to the human skin? The people who wore the dyed clothes suffered from rashes and sores. Some even suffered from tremors, slurred speech, and hallucinations. Thus, in the 19th century, people became averse to wearing green.

Picture source: www.istockphoto.com

Are Mental And Physical Health Related?

Well, science suggests they are. Our mind has a direct connection with our body; whatever we think reflects on our body. Here are a few physical health issues resulting from poor mental health:

High stress level
High blood pressure
Heart diseases
Digestive disorders
Breathing disorders
Diabetes

Picture source: www.istockphoto.com

What You Do On World Mental Health Day 2022

So here’s what one can do on this World Mental Health Day:

Stay Fit: Keep yourself physically as well as emotionally fit and active by practicing some sort of exercise or yoga and meditation regularly. Remember the equation:

Healthy Mind + Healthy Body = Happy Soul

Spread Awareness: You can spread awareness regarding the importance of mental health and how it is completely alright to seek mental health support from professionals.
Crowdfunding: Raising funds for someone who needs financial support along with emotional support could be a great way of observing World Mental Health Day.

Picture source: www.istockphoto.com

How To Crowdfund?

Online crowdfunding is a great way to help someone in financial need of treatments. ImpactGuru is a crowdfunding website where you can donate money online to causes that you resonate with.

You can also donate a specific amount monthly through ImpactGuru’s GEM (Give Every Month) initiative. Through this initiative, the amount that you choose to donate gets automatically deducted from your account every month and is directed towards patients who need treatments urgently.