Each year, on April 7th, the World Health Organisation (WHO) celebrate World Health Day. This event sees a number of campaigns and initiatives take place and was chosen to coincide with the founding date of the WHO. World Health Day sets out to focus on various forms of health, from physical health to mental and emotional well-being too. This year, however, is a particularly special time for WHO as it marks their 75th anniversary, following their founding on April 7th, 1948.

The focus of this year’s campaign is Health For All, championing the international efforts of healthcare initiatives to reach every individual and community in need. Not only does the campaign seek to reflect on those whose groundbreaking work and heroic progress have helped to improve and stabilise international health for over seven decades but also on those who are continuing to dedicate themselves to the ongoing need for support.

Looking back at the timeline of WHO’s work, it is impossible not to be amazed by the challenges they have helped nations to overcome. Early on, there were a number of issues that posed a significant risk to physical health, such as polio and smallpox. Then, in 2013, with 194 Ministers of Health representing their various states, the Comprehensive Mental Health Action Plan was formed. Originally, this plan was designed for the period between 2013-2020 but has, since then, been amended and extended to 2030.

This Mental Health Action Plan recognised that “Health is a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity,” as well as noting that mental health disorders are not solely an indicator of individual ability but also the result of “social, cultural, economic, political and environmental factors such as national policies, social protection, living standards, working conditions, and community social supports.”

These statements served to dispel the then-pervasive misconception that mental health was secondary or even unrelated to physical health, confounding their plan with research and evidence, noting that those with major depression or schizophrenia have a 40-60% greater chance of dying prematurely when compared with the general population, and that suicide remained the second most common cause of death among young people worldwide.

While mental health is often also directly related to, or even a result of, physical health issues, WHO recognised that mental health issues and disorders can even affect or create physical ailments. Depression can, for example, lead to diabetes and myocardial infarction, two physical afflictions that are then associated with a greater risk of depression.

Alongside stimulating efforts of mental health support, WHO set out to appeal to all nations, evidencing the significant impact mental health disorders had not only as a burden of disease but as an effector of economic and social stability. In 2013, WHO estimated that between 2011 and 2030, mental health disorders would cost the world economy over $16 trillion, while also pushing individuals and communities into poverty through pathways such as homelessness and incarceration.

Following the release of WHO’s Comprehensive Mental Health Action Plan, a number of efforts have been made, with international attention turning to the 38 actions outlined. These include eating disorders, personality disorders, and regional rehabilitation services.

Since then, progress has been made to support mental health and well-being across the world. However, the occurrence of COVID-19 and the international health crisis in 2020 has dramatically changed the landscape of both physical and mental health, reigniting the need for mental health services and understanding to be both expanded and improved.

If you would like to discuss your mental health, we offer a non-judgemental safe space in which to do so, with a team of counsellors who work with a range of various mental health issues, each motivated to ensure you receive the support you need. 

To talk to us or arrange an initial consultation, please email hello@bristolcounsellingandpsychotherapy.co.uk or, alternatively, call 07751 271709.