How can you help on World Mental Health Day?

Today the World Health Organization recognises World Mental Health Day, an annual activity of the World Federation for Mental Health. This year’s theme is ‘young people and mental health in a changing world’. Approximately 42% of the world’s population are younger than 25 years. Adolescents and young adults experience many life-changing events and many feel under a great deal of pressure to succeed. Mental health problems, including depression and anxiety, affect up to 1 in 10 children and young people and are often a direct response to what is happening in their lives.

Many organisations and publishers are coordinating activities to raise awareness of mental health issues in recognition of World Mental Health Day 2018:

• Springer Nature are making non open-access content on mental health free to view until October 31^st 2018.
• A blog post from BioMed Central explores the latest research on young people’s mental health.
• Cochrane highlight their recent review on ‘E‐Health interventions for anxiety and depression in children and adolescents with long‐term physical conditions’.
• Youngminds is encouraging people to say #helloyellow and wear yellow to show young people that they’re not alone when it comes to their mental health.
• Mental Health First Aid (MFHA) England is launching a new set of resources for young people’s wellbeing: the #HandsUp4HealthyMinds toolkit.
• The Mental Health Foundation will be facilitating Tea & Talk, their national fundraising event.
• Time to change are encouraging employees to ‘start the conversation about mental health’ in the workplace.
• Various charities, universities and organisations across the globe will be holding talks and events.

Join the conversation via #WMHD18 – how are you showing your support for World Mental Health Day 2018?

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Summary by Louise Niven, DPhil from Aspire Scientific

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