Each year on 10th of October the World Mental Health Day is celebrated. The day is an initiative of World Health Organizations (WHO) and of the Federation of Mental Health that, this year, has published a report focused on older people. An occasion to stress the importance of this phase in terms of enjoying a full and active later life and maintaining a healthy social involvement in the community, as highlighted during the International Day of Older People. Consequently to the rising of aging population, mental disabilities also increase. Because these people have to face challenges like poverty, exclusion, loneliness, loss of independence, maltreatment at home and in care institutions.
Moreover, since the female population is higher than the male one and that women are more subjected both to depression and Alzheimer’s disease, women represent the major concern of Governments and health Institutions. The rate of disabilities, in fact, is 20.2% for women and 17% for men). Dementia, depression, alcohol-related problems are among the main kinds of mental illnesses. Today due to a wrong life style poor in physical activity, face-to face relationships, smoking and eating habits.
World Mental Health Day is a day for global mental health education, awareness and advocacy. It was first celebrated in 1992 at the initiative of the World Federation for Mental Health, a global mental health organization with members and contacts in more than 150 countries.
On this day, every year, thousands of supporters celebrate this annual awareness program to bring attention to Mental Illness and its major effects on peoples' life worldwide. The World Health Organization also develops technical and communication material and provides technical assistance to the countries for advocacy campaigns around the World Mental Health Day.
Medical Data states that one in four people globally experience a mental health condition in their lifetime. In India prevalence of mental disorders is six to seven percent for common mental disorders and about two percent for severe mental disorders.
The Government of India has also introduced The Mental Health Care Bill 2013 in Parliament on 19 August 2013. The bill seeks to safeguard the right to access mental healthcare, right to protection from cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment and right to equality.
