AN OPPORTUNITY MISSED.

October 10th was the World Mental Health Day.That was five days ago!
Unfortunately,the day went bye without much notice in my environment.I really don't know the percentage of psychiatrists and psychiatrist in training who really know about the day.I don't want to be seen as commiting a fallacy of hasty generalisation by making a sweeping statement,but I have reason to believe that the greater majority of us are not aware of it.What then do we say about other members of our managing team including the clinical psychologists,the social welfare officers/workers and the occupational health therapists.

The World Mental Health Day was first celebrated in the year 1992.It was started as an annual activity of the World Federation for Mental Health by the then Deputy Secretary General Richard Hunter. Since then,it has grown to be celebrated annually in many parts of the world.Every year since 1994,the day had been celebrated with a particular theme.The theme of this year's celebration was 'Mental health in a changing world: the impact of culture and diversity'.The purpose of the day is to promote mental health advocacy and educate the public on relevant issues.

It is therefore a great opportunity missed for us care givers in psychiatry to educate the populace about mental illnesses and mental health with a view to promoting better understanding and dispelling myths associated with mental and therby reducing stigma.
My father use to say that one should blow his own trumpet otherwise it will rust from lack of use as nobody will blow it for another.Who best is better qualified to educate about mental health but the psychiatrist.With the magnitude of morbidy suffered by the mentally ill in an oppressive and unsympathetic environment,there is need to get involved in aggressive advocacy and education.

It should be noted that mental problems can affect anyone, rich or poor, young or old, shattering the lives of those affected and the lives of the people close to them. A former minister of the Federal Republic of Nigeria from a family that have made name for themselves over the years granted an interview once describing an experience that clearly fulfil the diagnosis of Depression.He was able to pull through because of strong social support.With better understanding,many more people could pull through similar experiences and get their lives back on track!

Kudos must however be given to the Psychiatrist Hospital,Yaba for organizing a seminar and a walk on the streets of Lagos in the bid to educate and inform.I don't know how many other Psychiatric Hospitals or Psychiatry departments did anything in that direction,but we must never allow such an opportunity to pass us again!

Below are the themes of the past World Mental Health Days;
1994 Improving the Quality of Mental Health Services Throughout the World.
1996 Women and Mental Health
1997 Children and Mental Health
1998 Mental Health and Human Rights
1999 Mental Health and Ageing
2000-2001 Mental Health and Work
2002 The Effects of Trauma and Violence on Children & Adolescents
2003 Emotional and Behavioural Disorders of Children & Adolescents
2004 The Relationship Between Physical & Mental Health: co-occurring disorders
2005 Mental and Physical Health Across the Life Span
2006 Building Awareness - Reducing Risk: Mental Illness & Suicide
2007 Mental Health in a Changing World: The Impact of Culture and Diversity