What is World Mental Health Day & When is it?

World Mental Health Day is an annual event that spotlights the biggest societal challenges that threaten people’s mental health.

There’s a new theme every year, chosen by the World Federation for Mental Health. The theme for 2024 is “It is time to prioritise mental health in the workplace.”

The purpose of this day is to raise awareness of global mental health matters, to aid in the development of support of mental health, whilst reducing the stigma that surrounds the subject.

It’s important to normalise mental health issues as ‘half of the world’s population will experience a mental health disorder’. This vast number highlights the need to break through the stigma, as many still feel shame or worry about asking for help.

Educating individuals about the warning signs of harmful mental health issues can help keep them safe, as they can look out for these symptoms within themselves and their loved ones.

George Brock Chisholm, a Canadian psychiatrist, was the first Director-General of the World Health Organisation (WHO), who suggested that the World Federation of Mental Health (WFMH) be created. He envisioned the WFMH as an international, non-governmental body to provide a link to ‘grassroots’ mental health organisations and United Nations agencies.

Observed for the first time in 1992, with annual themes entering the celebration from 1994, World Mental Health Day has been an annual event since!

When is World Mental Health Day?

World Mental Health Day 2024 is on October 10th and is annually celebrated on the same date.

Mental health is not subjective, it can affect anyone, anywhere, at any time. There has been fantastic progress in destigmatising mental health through efforts such as media portrayals, social media discussions and charitable work. There have also been various Government policies concerning mental health being actioned, including the Garrett Lee Smith Memorial Act (GLSMA) coming to effect in 2004.

Named after Senator Gordon Smith’s son, who committed suicide in 2003, this act came into action with the goal of ending youth suicide by supporting suicide prevention and intervention programs on college campuses in every US state. In 2015, the act was reauthorised and expanded to now include programs for all ages, with a particular focus on groups who are at high risk for suicide.

Over the last 30+ years, World Mental Health Day has created a community of those who are together for mental wellbeing, highlighting mental health matters and supporting those who suffer from mental health issues.

Themes and Campaigns

The annually changing theme for World Mental Health Day is chosen by the WFMH and is selected to spotlight on a specific topic within the wide realm of mental health.

The first Mental Health Day with a theme was in 1994, with ‘Improving the Quality of Mental Health Services throughout the World.’ Since then, the annual theme has changed, varying from 1999’s theme of ‘Mental Health and Ageing’, 2003’s ‘Emotional and Behavioural Disorders of Children & Adolescents’ and 2011’s ‘The Great Push: Investing in Mental Health.’

The themes since 2012:

• 2012 - Depression: A Global Crisis
• 2013 - Mental Health and Older Adults
• 2014 - Living With Schizophrenia
• 2015 - Dignity in Mental Health
• 2016 - Psychological and Mental Health First Aid
• 2017 - Mental Health in the Workplace
• 2018 - Young People and Mental Health in a Changing World
• 2019 - Mental Health Promotion and Suicide Prevention
• 2020 - Mental Health for all – Greater investment – Greater access
• 2021 - Mental Health in an Unequal World
• 2022 - Make mental health & well-being for all a global priority
• 2023 – Mental Health is a universal human right
• 2024 – It is time to prioritise mental health in the workplace

Global Campaigns

World Mental Health Day 2024 is particularly special, as this year’s global campaign aims to recognise not just the annual theme, but also the final phase of WFMH 75th Anniversary.

With downloadable campaign kits, impact reports from previous years and an official invitation from the WFMH to join in, these campaigns go global instantly.

You can see the 2023 Impact Report HERE to see the great work achieved over 150 days! 

How to Get Involved Participating in Events

You can get involved with World Mental Health Day in so many ways, there are no rules! Whether you’re organising a fundraising event, supporting mental health charities, posting on social media or simply talking about the day, any effort made to begin the mental health conversation is a great start and will do wonders for mental health awareness.

One of the official initiatives held by the Mental Health Foundation are ‘Tea & Talk’ events. A great way to come together with friends, family and colleagues to discuss mental health, whilst raising awareness and funding for the Mental Health Foundation, There are over 7000 Tea & Talk events taking place throughout the UK, with over 260,000 people having conversations about mental health today. You can download official resources from the Mental Health Foundation website, including posters, fundraising packs and talking tips to initiate difficult conversations.

The Role of Speakers in Mental Health Awareness

Hearing personal stories helps individuals understand the toll that mental health issues can have on not only an individual, but also their loved ones.

Listening to someone share their emotional story of mental illness, and how they came out the other side, can not only be uplifting and motivating to those currently suffering, but also aids in giving individuals the tools to help loved ones who may be struggling.

Speakers talking on this topic can inspire audiences not only in their personal lives, but also their working lives too. Workplace wellbeing has become more of a headlining topic, especially after the pandemic, with businesses giving employees ‘mental health day off work allowances’, flexible working hours and other options to help ensure their workforce is mentally healthy. Whether you’re an employee or an employer, listening to a speaker on mental health can inspire you to look at your workplace and/or business to see what can be improved.

Reducing stigma is one of the crucial areas that needs to be tackled with mental health awareness, and a great way to break down the stigma is to listen to real life stories.

Utilizing a Speakers Bureau

Here at Speakers Corner we’re passionate about mental health. We work with a wide array of mental health professionals and advocates; from qualified doctors, therapists and neuroscientists, to individuals with lived experiences of mental health issues, now sharing their advice and learnings.

Our fantastic selection of expert mental health speakers all play a pivotal role in cultivating a business culture and wider society that encourages wellbeing, resilience and understanding between individuals.

Author and journalist Bryony Gordon is one of The Telegraph’s best-loved columnists and featured writers.

Callum Lea founded Sporting Wellness at just 19 years old, to provide free mental healthcare to athletes.

Psychiatrist and writer, Steve Peters is the CEO of Chimp Management, where he aims to help individuals understand their mind to achieve psychological well-being.

Global mental health leader, consultant and founder of My Mind Matters Too, a youth-led mental health research and development company, Meg Zeenat Wamithi has been recognised as one of the most inspiring black students in the UK and received the Diana Award in 2019.

When you work with us, we do so much more than simply providing the speaker. We take care of all their travel and accommodation needs, booking everything for you and having a member of our team on call 24/7 (for the rarity that something goes wrong on the day).

We also work closely with you to ensure that we find the best speaker for your event, ensuring that we understand your brief down to the nitty-gritty.

Booking a Speaker

Get in touch with our expert, friendly team to discuss your options with us. We love hearing all about your event and how we can help make it something special, so giving us all the detail is important!

From our initial conversation, your dedicated Account Manager will curate a bespoke list of suitable speakers for your event, which will then be whittled down to your favourites.

Once you’ve selected your favourites and we’ve seen who’s available, it’s up to you to choose who you want at your event – then they’re booked!

We deal with the rest, all you need to worry about is organising the rest of your event and enjoying yourself on the night!