Does anyone today is the World Mental Health Day? What is World Mental Health Day?
"World Mental Health Day (October 10), is a day for global mental health education, awareness and advocacy. It was first celebrated in 1992 at the initiative of the World Federation for Mental Health, a global mental health organization with members and contacts in more than 150 countries." -Wikipedia
This year, the World Federation for Mental Health strive to "focus on where we came from and what needs to be done yet for the future. We will highlight different levels of advocacy and its role in creating change and the need for scaling up services so all people have access to information, personalized treatment, and resources to assist them in all aspects of their recovery," (World Federation for Mental Health, 2008) by the theme "MAKING MENTAL HEALTH A GLOBAL PRIORITY: SCALING UP SERVICES THROUGH CITIZEN ADVOCACY AND ACTION."
From my own observation and reading, the public awareness in Malaysia is still low within the region. Public perception about mental health remains very superficial. In fact, for some of the older generation, mental health topics are taboo (as they attribute mental disorder as spiritual dismay). Therefore, there is a need to advocate and support this issues among the citizen for the sake of overall healthy development of any single human being.
You may think that this is irrelevant to our current situation, the global economic recession, but do you feel distress upon your helplessness in changing this condition? Do you know that few days ago, there is one gloomy incident in Los Angeles, United States of America where one man had killed himself after shooting all of his family members due to his family financial crisis.
Los Angeles County Coroners remove one of the six bodies found at a home in a gated community in the San Fernando Valley neighborhood of Porter Ranch area of Los Angeles on Monday, Oct. 6, 2008. (AP Photo/Damian Dovarganes)
This photo released Tuesday, Oct. 7, 2008, by the California Department of Motor Vehicles shows Karthik Rajaram. The 45-year-old unemployed financial manager, despondent over extreme money problems, was found dead Monday with a gun in his hand said authorities. He had shot and killed his wife, three children, mother-in-law and then himself at home in a gated community in the San Fernando Valley neighborhood of Porter Ranch in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/California Department of Motor Vehicles)
It is a shame for me, as one of the psychology student, doing nothing to contribute in this international campaign. Nevertheless, I tried to mention this in my blog, in the hope that my dear readers can help me in advocating the importance of mental health among your loved ones. ;)
(P/S: For those who are interested in World Mental Health Day 2008 campaign, you may have a look at the free material by the organization.)
"World Mental Health Day (October 10), is a day for global mental health education, awareness and advocacy. It was first celebrated in 1992 at the initiative of the World Federation for Mental Health, a global mental health organization with members and contacts in more than 150 countries." -Wikipedia
This year, the World Federation for Mental Health strive to "focus on where we came from and what needs to be done yet for the future. We will highlight different levels of advocacy and its role in creating change and the need for scaling up services so all people have access to information, personalized treatment, and resources to assist them in all aspects of their recovery," (World Federation for Mental Health, 2008) by the theme "MAKING MENTAL HEALTH A GLOBAL PRIORITY: SCALING UP SERVICES THROUGH CITIZEN ADVOCACY AND ACTION."
From my own observation and reading, the public awareness in Malaysia is still low within the region. Public perception about mental health remains very superficial. In fact, for some of the older generation, mental health topics are taboo (as they attribute mental disorder as spiritual dismay). Therefore, there is a need to advocate and support this issues among the citizen for the sake of overall healthy development of any single human being.
You may think that this is irrelevant to our current situation, the global economic recession, but do you feel distress upon your helplessness in changing this condition? Do you know that few days ago, there is one gloomy incident in Los Angeles, United States of America where one man had killed himself after shooting all of his family members due to his family financial crisis.
It is a shame for me, as one of the psychology student, doing nothing to contribute in this international campaign. Nevertheless, I tried to mention this in my blog, in the hope that my dear readers can help me in advocating the importance of mental health among your loved ones. ;)
(P/S: For those who are interested in World Mental Health Day 2008 campaign, you may have a look at the free material by the organization.)
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