About World Mental Health Day
10 October is World Mental Health Day, an annual WHO campaign to celebrate progress in mental health and highlight urgent priorities for the years ahead.
This year’s theme, “Mental Health in Humanitarian Emergencies”, draws attention to the urgent need to support the mental health and psychosocial well-being of people affected by crises such as natural disasters, conflicts, and public health emergencies. These situations can cause severe emotional distress, with one in five individuals experiencing a mental health condition. Supporting people’s mental health during such crises is crucial and gives individuals the strength to cope, space to heal, and the possibility to recover and rebuild.
To achieve this, governments, health and social care providers, schools, workplaces, and community groups must work hand in hand. By investing in evidence-based and community-driven interventions, we can address immediate mental health needs, foster long-term recovery, and empower people and communities to thrive again.
On this World Mental Health Day, let us step up efforts to ensure that mental health is valued, protected, and accessible for all; especially for those living in the most vulnerable circumstances.
SIP’s commitment to better Mental Health policies
Pain and mental health has been one of the main priorities for the Societal Impact of Pain (SIP) Platform in 2023. SIP published, in May 2023, its SIP Joint Statement on Pain and Mental Health, in collaboration with ten different organisations working in the field of pain, pain-related or mental health policies.
On 10 October 2023, experts were invited to share their insights at a European Parliament event entitled, “Pain and Mental Health: A Societal Impact of Pain (SIP) Event”, hosted by MEP Marianne Vind and MEP Tomislav Sokol and attended by representatives from different EU organisations. Furthermore, SIP engaged with the Rapporteur and Shadow Rapporteurs of the SANT Sub-Committee Report on Mental Health, ensuring to include the recommendation from the Joint Statement in the final Report, ratified at the Plenary session on 11 December 2023.
In 2024, continuing its effort to share useful resources, SIP released an infographic summarising the main takeaways from its 2023 Joint Statement, which you can view here.
Find more information about World Mental Health Day here.