We need to talk: A Reflection on World Mental Health Day

Every year on the 10th of October, we mark World Mental Health Day. For me, it's a moment to pause and reflect. It's a day to check in, not just with myself, but with the people around me. I have been working in this field since before my prefrontal cortex was fully formed. My family is littered with professionals and so people sometimes seem confused at the fact that I have struggled, my kids have struggled and other family members have struggled. It is not an on/off switch. It is a continuum which is influenced by countless factors. I have helped family and countless friends into rehab and or hospital. I have needed formal help, both short term and long term. I have sadly attended many funerals where mental illness was the cause of death, including my father’s funeral.  It's also a day to consider the bigger picture, to look beyond our own experiences and understand the silent struggles that millions of people face every single day. It's a conversation that has been in the shadows for far too long, and it's a privilege to be part of bringing it into the light.

This day was first observed back in 1992, an initiative of the World Federation for Mental Health [1]. The goal was simple but profound: to raise awareness, to educate, and to advocate against the social stigma that clings so stubbornly to mental illness. More than three decades later, that mission is more critical than ever.

The sheer scale of the challenge can be difficult to comprehend. According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), more than a billion people across the globe are currently living with a mental health disorder [2]. That's more than one in every eight of us. It's a staggering figure that cuts across all ages, all cultures, and all walks of life. Conditions like anxiety and depression have become the most common, representing a silent epidemic that constitutes the second-largest cause of long-term disability worldwide. As someone who remains engaged with conflict areas the figure of