Be Intentional About Your Health

Globally, more than a billion people live with a mental health condition. Life often comes at us hard. Yet, we must find ways and means of coping. Our overall wellbeing is hinged on the state of our mental wellness. Unfortunately, due to the stigma and discrimination surrounding mental wellness many of us suffer in silence. It is this prolonged period of suffering that often translates into a diagnosed or undiagnosed mental disorder. Traditional masculinity norms such as pushing for toughness, emotional control, and total self-reliance considerably hinder men's mental health by discouraging help-seeking and forcing distress into masked symptoms like anger, substance use, or suicide. Many mental health conditions can be effectively treated at relatively low cost, yet health systems remain significantly under-resourced and treatment gaps are wide all over the world. Mental health care is often poor in quality when delivered. People with mental health conditions often also experience stigma, discrimination and human rights violations. The World Health Organization (WHO) defines mental health as a state of mental well-being that enables people to cope with the stresses of life, realize their abilities, learn and work well, and contribute to their community. It has intrinsic and instrumental value and is a basic human right. Mental health exists on a complex continuum, which is experienced differently from one person to the next. At any one time, a diverse set of individual, family, community and structural factors may combine to protect or undermine mental health. Although most people are resilient, people who are exposed to adverse circumstances are at higher risks of developing a mental health condition. Mental health conditions include mental disorders and psychosocial disabilities as well as other mental states associated with significant distress, impairment in functioning, or risk of self-harm. Many mental health conditions can be effectively treated at relatively low cost, yet health systems remain significantly under-resourced and treatment gaps are wide all over the world. World Mental Health Day 2026 takes place on Saturday, October 10, 2026, with the official theme “Lived experiences heard: real voices, real change.” World Mental Health Day is an opportunity to meaningfully engage with people with lived experience (PWLE) of mental health conditions and to recognize their knowledge as a vital form of expertise. PWLE highlights the importance of listening to and valuing the voices of people with firsthand experience of mental health challenges. Their stories, insights, and perspectives can help challenge stigma, promote understanding, improve mental health services, and shape policies that are more inclusive, compassionate, and responsive to people's needs. Undoubtedly, doing beyond simply sharing their stories is fundamental with safeguarding those people with lived experiences. It involves ensuring that they are actively involved in decision-making, mental health advocacy, service planning, programme development, and the evaluation of mental health initiatives. This year’s theme reflects the fact that people are too often excluded from decisions about their own lives. Yet their insights are essential to shaping effective services and policies. This is particularly true for young people facing economic uncertainty, climate anxiety and online harms, and for people of all ages affected by conflict and humanitarian crises, where disrupted services compound distress. Mental Health A Basic Human Right. As human beings we are all susceptible and vulnerable to mental health challenges. Although governments and employers have the primary responsibility to protect and promote mental health at work, you can take steps to support your own well-being. Learn techniques to manage stress and stay mindful of changes in your mental health. If needed, reach out for support from a trusted friend, family member, colleague, supervisor, or health professional. Although mental health is a basic human right, the costs associated to treat mental disorders can be rather prohibitive. As a result, more can and should be done to support mental wellness. One practical step in support of mental health comes via health insurances. In many jurisdictions, health insurance does not cover the cost associated with receiving counseling and this is yet another barrier to mental wellness. Each employee should have a minimum number of paid counseling services visits per annum. The management and care of mental health takes various stakeholders including psychologists. Mental health is a basic human right. Everyone, whoever and wherever they are, has a right to the highest attainable standard of mental health. This includes the right to be protected from mental health risks, the right to available, accessible, acceptable, and good quality care, and the right to liberty, independence and inclusion in the community. What is needed is more public/ private collaboration in mental health care services. In fact, the National Standards Curriculum (NSC) should rigorously interrogate the issue of mental health wellness at both the primary and the secondary levels. There is also an urgent need for the government to revitalize community mental health services. This is especially important in this post pandemic era. As a society, we must be proactive regarding mental wellness and as such we should consider creating a specific category of leave days for mental health. It is also very important to acknowledge and cater to our spiritual side. Addressing mental wellness takes into consideration all aspects of our beings. Additionally, men who actively seek out mental health services are oftentimes viewed as weak and this is yet another barrier to mental wellness. Every leader and employee can play a role in promoting workplace mental health. Mental health care and Treatment. National efforts to strengthen mental health must focus not only on promoting mental well-being for all, but also on addressing the needs of people with mental health conditions. This is best achieved through community-based mental health care, which is more accessible and acceptable than institutional care, and which helps prevent human rights violations, and delivers better recovery outcomes. Such care should be provided through a coordinated network of services that comprise: integrated mental health services within general health care, typically in general hospitals and through task-sharing with non-specialist care providers in primary health care; dedicated community mental health services, such as community mental health centres and teams, psychosocial rehabilitation, peer support and supported living; and mental health support in non-health settings, including child protection services, school health programmes, and prisons. On this World Mental Health Day, let us move from listening to action and build mental health systems with PWLE. The best time to seek help is now. In the words of Barack Obama, mental health isn’t something our friends and family have to suffer with alone and without treatment. You are not alone. There is hope. There is possibility. Wayne Campbell is an educator and social commentator with an interest in development policies as they affect culture and or gender issues. waykam@yahoo.com @WayneCamo ©