World Mental Health Day 2025:
When Crises Strike, Mental Health Must Not Be Left Behind
This year’s World Mental Health Day carries a powerful message — “Mental Health in Humanitarian Emergencies.” Across the globe, millions of people face psychological distress due to wars, disasters, pandemics, or displacement. While the physical damage of crises is often visible, the mental and emotional scars are harder to see but just as devastating. According to the World Health Organization, one in five people affected by emergencies will experience a mental health condition, ranging from depression and anxiety to post-traumatic stress disorder. Despite this, many remain untreated because mental health support is often overlooked in disaster responses.
In these times, mental health care is not a luxury it’s a necessity. Healing communities means more than rebuilding homes or hospitals; it means restoring hope, connection, and the ability to cope with life after trauma.
Understanding Mental Health:
Mental health is more than the absence of illness; it’s the foundation of how we think, feel, and connect with others. It influences decision-making, relationships, work performance, and resilience in daily life.
Globally, 1 in every 8 people suffers from a mental health disorder, and about 1 billion people live with conditions like depression or anxiety. Yet, most go undiagnosed or untreated, making mental illness one of the world’s most neglected health challenges (WHO, 2024).
Common Mental Health Disorders:
To build meaningful awareness, we must first understand the disorders that affect millions of people worldwide. Depression is far more than occasional sadness it’s a deep, ongoing emptiness or hopelessness that interferes with daily life. Anxiety disorders create constant worry, fear, and restlessness, making it hard to focus or relax. Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) often follows traumatic experiences, causing flashbacks, nightmares, and emotional numbness. Bipolar disorder leads to extreme mood shifts between high energy and deep depression.
In addition, addiction and substance use can develop when people turn to unhealthy coping mechanisms, while burnout and occupational stress are becoming alarmingly common, especially among healthcare professionals and those working in high-pressure environments. Recognizing these symptoms early can make all the difference it allows for timely care, recovery, and prevention of more severe outcomes.
Raising awareness helps people understand that mental illness is not a weakness or a character flaw. It’s a health condition that requires compassion, support, and proper treatment, just like any other illness.
The Impact of Crises and Emergencies:
This year’s theme focuses on individuals living through humanitarian crises, conflicts, pandemics, and disasters that profoundly impact mental health.
According to the WHO, one in five people in crisis settings will develop a mental disorder such as depression, anxiety, or PTSD. The COVID-19 pandemic and global conflicts have amplified trauma, isolation, and burnout, especially among healthcare workers, who face immense pressure in emergencies (PubMed, 2024).
In the UAE, MOHAP emphasizes the need to provide specialized psychological care to medical staff, adolescents, and families affected by prolonged stress.
The Importance of Early Intervention:
Early recognition saves lives. Many people ignore symptoms due to stigma, fear, or cultural misconceptions. A UAE-based study revealed that 60% of respondents avoided seeking help because of wrong beliefs about mental illness, while nearly 59% reported shame as a barrier (PubMed, 2020).
Encouraging open conversations, community education, and mental health screening in schools and workplaces can prevent conditions from worsening.
Supporting Mental Health in Daily Life:
Promoting mental wellness isn’t limited to treatment; it starts with daily habits and support systems:
- Maintain balanced sleep, diet, and exercise routines.
- Practice mindfulness, prayer, or meditation to reduce stress.
- Build strong social connections and talk about your feelings.
- Seek professional help when needed — therapy is a strength, not a weakness.
- Encourage mental health programs at work and school.
Healthy Work Protects Health:
As emphasized by The Know How, our mental well-being is deeply tied to our workplace environment. A healthy workplace doesn’t just improve productivity — it protects mental health by fostering balance, respect, and empathy. Employees who feel safe to speak about stress or burnout are more likely to seek help early and less likely to suffer in silence.
Creating such spaces requires effort from both management and employees. It starts with small but powerful actions: checking on colleagues, normalizing conversations about mental health, and providing professional support where needed
A Call for Compassion and Connection:
World Mental Health Day 2025 is more than an awareness campaign — it’s a call to action. It urges governments, organizations, and individuals to recognize that mental health care must be a fundamental part of emergency response and everyday life.
For individuals, it means taking care of your own mental health, reaching out when you need help, and supporting those around you. For employers, it means creating open, understanding workplaces where psychological well-being is prioritized. And for policymakers, it means continuing to integrate mental health services into healthcare systems, insurance coverage, and national planning.
Together, we can break the stigma, strengthen support, and ensure that mental health is not left behind in times of crisis or in times of calm.
Sources
World Health Organization – World Mental Health Day 2025
PolicyBazaar UAE – Mental Health Awareness Day
The Know How – Healthy Work Protects Health
