World Mental Health day:-10thOctober
Theme: Mental health in the workplace -2017
Mental Health :-Generally, a person’s behavior can provide clues to his or her mental health. Mental health is a state of emotional, psychological and social wellness evidenced by satisfying interpersonal relationships, appropriate behavior, coping, positive, self-concept and emotional stability etc.
Definition of Mental Health:-“The capacity of an individual to form harmonious relationships with others and to participate in or contribute constructively to changes in social environment” –WHO -1950
“The adjustment of human beings to the world and to each other with a maximum of effectiveness and happiness”-Karl Mellinger-1893
“Simultaneous success at working, living and creating the capacity for mature and flexible resolution of conflicts between instincts, conscience and reality”-American Psychiatric Association-1950
Mental health statistics in India :-A country wide National Institute of Mental Health &Neuroscience(NIMHANS)study has revealed a shocking prevalence of mental illness in India and 13.7 percent of India`s general population has been projected to be suffering from a variety of mental illnesses.
History of world mental health day: – World mental health day is a day for global mental health education, awareness and advocacy against social stigma. It was first celebrated in 1992 at the initiative of the World federation for mental health.
Events around the world:-The World Federation for Mental Health (WFMH) events include World Congresses, Regional Conferences, meetings and other events. The World Congresses are normally held every two years and have themes and subjects of contemporary concern in the field of mental health. The World Congresses are open to members and other interested persons.
The World Congress of Mental Health 2017 will be organized in New Delhi, India.
Description of the theme 2017:- Psychological instability is one of the biggest issues in the work place today in each and every organisation, and this includes everything from the most commonly experienced symptoms of stress and anxiety to more complex mental health conditions, such as depressions, bipolar disorder and obsessive compulsive disorder.
As well as having a huge impact on individual employees, poor mental health has severe repercussions for employers. These include increased staff turnover, sickness or absence due to debilitating depression, family problems, burnout and exhaustion, decreased motivation and lost productivity. While companies of all sizes increasingly understand the importance of good mental health, many simply don’t feel confident in handling and communicating these issues in the work place.
There are also many internal milestones that can help to put mental health on the agenda, and these include activities like board meetings, staff surveys, staff absence reports. Think about the times in the year when your business is at its busiest, and staff members are under the highest levels of stress, and you can understand how important mental health is to the productivity of the workforce.
Expert view:-
Chris O’Sullivan (Mental Health Foundation)said, “Mental health is something we all have. Workplaces that challenge us support and develop our sense of purpose, and support us when things are hard can play a massive role in protecting and building our mental health. A mentally healthy workplace can be built on the back of good basic line management relationships, clear HR policy and engagement of staff in decision making. Prevention is key -we need to enable everyone to flourish, those in distress to access help quickly, and those who have recovered from mental health problems to stay well and enjoy successful careers”.
References
- https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com
- https://www.mentalhealth.org.uk/about-us/people/chris-osullivan
- https://en.wikipedia.org
- Essentials of Psychiatric Mental Health Nursing: Concepts of Care in Evidence-Based Practice 5th Edition