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Every year on October 10, the world celebrates World Mental Health Day in order to raise awareness, fight stigma, and promote stronger systems of support for mental well-being.
World Mental Health Day was first established in 1992 by the World Federation for Mental Health as a way to raise global awareness and mobilize support for mental health. What began as a small campaign has grown into a movement recognized in more than 90 countries. Each year, the day focuses on a specific theme, varying from everything like fighting stigma to promoting workplace well-being, and can be used by governments, organizations, and communities to advocate for better policies and services. Today, it continues to be the only annual global awareness campaign dedicated solely to mental health.
The official World Mental Health Day 2025 statement, prepared by the World Federation for Mental Health in collaboration with partners such as the WHO and UNICEF, selected “Access to Services – Mental Health in Catastrophes and Emergencies” as this year’s theme. The document underlines how millions of people around the globe are affected by disasters, armed conflicts, pandemics, and other emergencies each year, with nearly a third of them facing serious mental health consequences. Research shows that one in five people exposed to war or conflict in the past decade is likely to experience conditions such as depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder, bipolar disorder, or schizophrenia (WFMH, 2025; WHO, 2025).
Emergencies not only create new psychological burdens, they also severely disrupt existing health services. This leaves vulnerable groups, particularly those with pre-existing mental health conditions, children and families forced from their homes, and frontline responders, without the care they urgently need. The report stresses that mental health must be recognized as a core element of emergency response, not as an additional response (WFMH, 2025; UNICEF 2022). An article by WHO, also published in the official World Mental Health Day 2025 statement, explains that crises can be a turning point: moments when governments and communities can “build back better” by investing in long-term, community-based mental health systems, as seen in countries like Sri Lanka and the Philippines following major natural disasters (WHO, 2025).
This year’s theme also focuses on the human rights of mental health in emergencies. In times of crisis, access to health services, such as mental health support, often collapses just when it is most needed. Those already facing systemic inequalities, such as displaced persons, women, children, and people with disabilities, are especially at risk of being left behind. Recognizing mental health as a right means ensuring that humanitarian responses are inclusive, equitable, and resilient, protecting not only physical survival but also emotional and psychological well-being (OHCHR, 2025).
The message of World Mental Health Day 2025 is clear: mental health care must be prioritized in every stage of crisis response. Governments, organizations, and individuals all have a role to play, whether that means advocating for better policies, supporting community initiatives, or simply reaching out to someone who might be struggling. In moments of catastrophe and uncertainty, caring for mental health is not just a matter of recovery, but it is about building resilience and hope for the future.
Vita Jamila Keil
vitaa.keil@gmail.com
Bibliography
Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights. (n.d.). Safeguarding the right to health in crisis. United Nations.
UNICEF. (2022). Mental health and psychosocial support in emergencies. UNICEF.
World Federation for Mental Health. (2025). World Mental Health Day 2025: Access to services – Mental health in catastrophes and emergencies. World Federation for Mental Health.
World Health Organization. (2025, May 6). Mental health in emergencies.
Sitography
https://www.ohchr.org/en/health/safeguarding-right-health-crisis
https://www.unicef.org/protection/mental-health-psychosocial-support-in-emergencies
https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/mental-health-in-emergencies
A.P.E. 
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