Mental health is a neglected topic in the global context. That the cases of mental disorder are on the rise in every country is in fact alarming. It is said that mental health is going to be one of the major public health crises across the world in coming days though the issue is yet to receive mass-attention across the globe. A little-acknowledged fact of modernisation is the impact it has on an individual’s mental reservoir of strength and resilience. As rapid shifts in social and economic momentum buffet our lifestyles, we are less aware than we should be about how these currents affect our feelings and emotions. The World Mental Health Day, marked on October 10, once again reminded us of the need to focus on this field with urgency.
The sooner we disinvest children of the obsolete
values of shame and stigma associated
with mental health issues, the earlier
we will see the changes we desire in society
In Bangladesh, anxiety disorders, substance abuse, depression and schizophrenia are the top five mental health issues affecting the younger population. This is a high-grade concern and priority. The younger set is not the only group that is affected. Even among older age groups, mental health problems are prevalent and experts have repeatedly highlighted the need to raise awareness on it.
According to the World Health Organisation, mental health issues lead to more than 10 per cent of lost years of healthy life and over 30 per cent of all years lived with disability. The World Economic Forum says depression and anxiety disorders cost the global economy $1 trillion (Dh3.67 trillion) every year in lost productivity. Clearly, mental health needs to occupy the same rank as other leading health concerns such as obesity, diabetes and heart health.
Given the impetus of the situation, all the countries in the world should work together to protect themselves from mental health perils. Also there is a need to establish a common-ground for the global and local communities so that they can intervene into and address the mental health
issues prudently.
Another way to ensure we don’t carry our burdens of attitude into the future is to make mental health awareness an integral part of early education. The sooner we disinvest children of the obsolete values of shame and stigma associated with mental health issues, the earlier we will see the changes we desire in society.
