Oct. 10 marks World Mental Health Day, a crucial reminder of the importance of taking care of mental health.
The World Health Organization is utilizing this day to bring awareness to mental health, especially in regards to how it is impacted by work.
With politics heating up ahead of the 2024 presidential election, natural disasters dominating the headlines and conflicts abroad continuing, mental health can often be neglected or considered less important.
However, it is during periods of heightened stress that discussions about mental health become even more essential.
“Mental health is a state of mental well-being that enables people to cope with the stresses of life, realize their abilities, learn well and work well, and contribute to their community,” WHO states on its website. “It has intrinsic and instrumental value and is integral to our well-being.”
Work and mental health
To raise awareness of mental health issues, WHO uses World Mental Health Day to highlight various factors that can impact mental health. This year, it chose to center on understanding how work affects mental health.