World Mental Health Day, lolz
It’s interesting to look at the annual themes of World Mental Health Day for a few notable reasons. First, it’s a good overview of how global health issues have evolved over the decades from broad topics to more specific health concerns.
Another interesting observation is the evolution of the themes that represent the growing unaddressed mental health needs of children and youth. This is one of, if not the most, pressing of global public health issues. Our nations are failing future generations in ways that magnify all the concerns of Millenials and Gen X; all the issues that never got fixed and more.
But what I find most interesting, is the natural progression of the mental health urgency vibe, particularly over the last 15 years or so.
Themes went from ‘hey this seems important for improving public health’ to ‘gosh this is a serious issue with compound negative outcomes’ to ‘mental health is really fucked everybody.’
Mental health is a collective priority in times like these, when events have wide impacts that create enormous waves of trauma. Trauma isn’t bound by physical barriers, or political agreements, or international law.
The only boundaries of trauma are what we are willing to accept, what we can tolerate.
This last year I’ve spent a lot of my free time engaging with others who want less trauma, less cruelty and unnecessary death. And a familiar list of words have emerged across webinars, calls and messages that describe our shared, global mental health.
Scared
Heartbroken
Weary
Horrified
Depressed
Angry
Disgusted
Anxious
Sick
Devastated
Enraged
Broken
Numb
Exhausted
Committed
Determined
For World Mental Health Day 2025, I’d suggest a theme that highlights the connected trauma caused by global fear, conflict and devastation. Or we could be very blunt, something like:
Unfucking believable how bad global mental health has become.
Despite the horrors, there remains deep determination and collective commitment to support each other’s humanity. It’s always there, somewhere.
I hope.
