October 10th is World Mental Health Day!
This international day of awareness and action has been recognized since 1992, as mental health activists and practitioners across the world work to spread the word that mental health is something everyone should care about. In some countries, this day is a part of a week-long mental health event.
The day was initially created by the World Federation of Mental Health, a 70+-year-old organization that supports mental health awareness and support in more than 90 countries,
With events, screenings, activities, and more, World Mental Health Day is a catalyst for us to learn more, seek help, offer support, and open our hearts and minds to vulnerable conversations.
How To Celebrate World Mental Health Day
We’ve compiled some ideas for how you can honor World Mental Health Day on your own, or in community with those you love.
We know that this time can also bring up some big feelings, so feel free to take what resonates, and leave what doesn’t! Just know: everything will be okay.
Ideas For Activities
Attend an event in support of World Mental Health Day.
Events are being held around the world to connect with others through mental health. And the World Federation For Mental Health is compiling them on its website.
Don’t see an event near you? Host your own! From open forums, to fundraisers, to documentary screenings, and everything in between, your efforts are welcome.
Get certified in mental health first aid.
Mental Health First Aid offers in-person courses around the world, led by two certified instructors. Participants will learn how to help someone experiencing a mental health crisis by identifying, understanding, and responding to signs of addiction or mental health conditions.
If you’re looking for a digital certification, the Born This Way Foundation and Jack.org have created the Be There Certificate, which teaches participants how to recognize when someone might be struggling with their mental health and how to safely support them while maintaining one’s own mental health.
The course is free of charge and has six interactive lessons that can be accessed at any time. It is also offered in English, French, and Spanish.
Share your story.
Part of spreading awareness means sharing your story and your experiences in a safe way. The National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) encourages folks to share their experiences with mental health to be shared on their website or social media channels.
Volunteer or donate.
Use your time, talents, or financial means to support a mental health organization! It’s easy to make a difference. Whether you want to donate to a national nonprofit or support a community member affected by mental illness through a mutual aid fund, your assistance can make a difference.
You can even sign up as a volunteer at a crisis hotline or text line.
Contact your representatives to urge them to prioritize mental health.
You have the tools to urge your elected officials to make mental health a priority! Here are a few things you can do:
- Contact your elected officials to express why you think they should make mental health policy a priority — remember, elections are coming up!
- Check out Mental Health America’s State of Mental Health In America report and share it with your elected officials.
- Looking ahead to next year: Ask your governor or mayor to formally declare May as Mental Health Month. Mental Health America has a toolkit with a sample proclamation.
Share mental health resources.
Making mental health resources widely accessible makes it that much easier for even one person to get the help they need. When you’re sharing about mental health on this day, be sure to make resources available.
You can view our mental health resource guide here!
By Learning
Learn more about your own mental health.
Learning more about your own mental health can be one of the most empowering things you can do for yourself. Do this by taking an online mental health screening. You can use this opportunity to seek professional help (in the form of therapy), journal about your findings, or connect with a loved one who may also have experience with a certain mental health condition.
Read books or articles about mental health.
We’re certain your local library has a wide array of resources for your mental health studies, but if you’re looking for some new approaches, here are a few learning opportunities for you to expand your mental health knowledge:
- This Mental Health Media Guide that is changing the way the entertainment industry tells stories about mental health
- This list of book recommendations that will leave you feeling more hopeful (and with a big TBR list)
- This compilation of good news stories about mental health
- This website, called Find Center, where you can curate a feed of information on a variety of topics, like anxiety, depression, ADHD, eating disorders, relationships, and more.
Learn more about mental health online.
Listen to mental health podcasts, read mental health newsletters, or explore mental health apps to access a broader and deeper understanding of how diverse people experience mental health conditions.
Read and share quotes about mental health.
Sometimes we have the right words to say… but someone else does. Fortunately, we’ve curated the best quotes about mental health in a variety of articles:
- The Best Quotes About Mental Health
- The Best Quotes About Suicide To Help Prevention
- The Best Quotes About Self Care
- The Best Quotes About Darkness, Quotes About Light, & Quotes About Finding Light in the Darkness
- The Best Positive Quotes & Quotes About Toxic Positivity
By Taking Care of Yourself
Create strong self-care practices.
Self-care is a big buzzword these days, but we encourage you to create strong, proactive self-care practices that give you the energy and space to thrive. (Plus, if you need some inspiration — we’ve compiled a collection of the best self-care quotes.)
Find a therapist.
A great therapist can help you gain valuable insights, provide support and guidance when you are facing challenges, help you confront and heal trauma, and give you the tools to create a life you love. You deserve to find your perfect fit! Good news: we created a comprehensive guide to finding a therapist.
Try meditating.
Apps like Headspace, Calm, and Breethe make self-care activities like meditation easy and accessible. Give your meditation practice a go today and see what can happen when you expand your self-care toolkit.
Celebrate good news.
Speaking of good news, the world is full of it! Take it from us, we’re a good news media company that literally makes a monthly print newspaper filled with good news. (And you should subscribe!)
When we fill our brains with reminders that there’s lots of good in the world, it helps us feel more hopeful about the future and encourages us to be a part of creating that better future.
Subscribe to a positive news email newsletter like ours, check out good news websites, more good news resources, and do everything possible to make sure you’re exposed to hopeful news stories on a regular basis.
At Work
Advocate for or use mental health days or paid time off at work.
Mental health days are an important tool for all workers to access time off when they need to, while also facilitating important conversations about mental health and burnout in the workplace.
Perhaps October 10th is the opportunity for your company to roll out company-wide mental health days, or even more generous paid time-off offerings. By prioritizing time to rest, we can boost morale, redefine the modern workplace, and show people we care.
Check out Empower Work, a program that provides confidential support for work challenges.
Empower Work is a nonprofit on a mission to build healthier, more equitable workplaces. They offer immediate, confidential support for work challenges through SMS or webchat with trained peer counselors.
Use your platform or company to advocate for mental health.
Raise funds, release a product supporting mental health awareness, create a social media campaign, publish a blog post, or invest in new benefits that support your team and your community on (or beyond) World Mental Health Day. Whatever you do, we encourage you to use reliable research to make your offerings inclusive and equitable.
At School
Offer resources and information to students.
Teachers and trusted adults are responsible for making sure that students know what mental health resources are available to them.
If your school doesn’t have a lot of resources or materials for these conversations, mentalhealth.gov has a great landing page for educators to help get the ball rolling.
Support LGBTQ+ youth.
LGBTQ+ youth are at an increased risk for mental health conditions and suicide. In fact, The Trevor Project — an organization that works to prevent suicide in LGBTQ+ youth — found that LGBTQ+ youth who reported having at least one accepting adult were 40% less likely to report a suicide attempt in 2019.
There are a number of ways to support LGBTQ+ youth inside and out of the classroom — we even have a comprehensive guide! In the meantime, consider doing the following:
- Designate your classroom as an LGBTQ+ safe space
- Take an ally training course through The Trevor Project with your colleagues
- Fight book bans so that all kids can access books they can identify with
- Sponsor a Gay Straight Alliance or another inclusive club in your school. The Gay Lesbian & Straight Education Network has awesome resources for teachers and students.
Engage in a World Mental Health Day project at school.
Can you hand out lime green ribbons for mental health awareness? Is there a suitable movie or documentary viewing and discussion you can share with your students? What about celebrating your appreciation for school counselors or social workers during this time?
Consider hosting a spirit day in your school to open the dialogue about mental health and engage with one another in a meaningful way.
Host a Q&A with a mental health professional for parents and students.
School administration and counseling teams can host a forum for parents and students, offering expert insights into mental health.
Choose a topic and host a Q&A-style chat for parents with a clinician or representative from your local Department of Behavioral Health. This can also be done for students during the school day, all inviting participants to ask experts any questions they may have regarding mental health.
Educators may consider creating a safe space for students to anonymously submit questions, to keep things well-organized and confidential.
Get help if you need it.
All of these action items and activities are a great way to get you and your community involved in the conversation surrounding mental health. However, we know that when you’re struggling with your mental health, it can be hard to find the help, support, and community you need.
If you are in immediate need of safety, please contact the following:
Emergency Medical Services
911
National Suicide Prevention Lifeline
suicidepreventionlifeline.org
988
Crisis Text Line
Text CRISIS to 741-741
crisistextline.org
And if you are not in immediate crisis and would still like access to more resources, visit our list of Mental Health Resources for more information.
Frequently Asked Questions
What day is World Mental Health Day?
World Mental Health Day is held on October 10th every year. The annual event is celebrated by the World Federation for Mental Health, the World Health Organization, and dozens of other organizations.
What is the theme for World Mental Health Day 2024?
The theme of World Mental Health Day 2024 is ‘It is Time to Prioritize Mental Health in the Workplace.’ This year’s campaign will aim to engage employees, employers, organizations, and more in advocacy to promote well-being at work and in professional environments.
What was the theme for World Mental Health Day 2023?
The theme of World Mental Health Day 2023 was “Mental health is a universal human right,” according to the World Health Organization. Past years have been themed around mental health in the workplace, suicide prevention, and young people.
Is World Mental Health Day in October or May?
Mental Health Awareness Month takes place during the month of May. However, World Mental Health Day — National Depression and Mental Health Screening Month, as well as ADHD Awareness Month — are celebrated in the month of October. It can be easy to get them mixed up!
What is the World Mental Health Day color?
Many nonprofits encourage advocates to wear the color purple in honor of mental health action. Some other organizations utilize green ribbons for World Mental Health Day.
What are the hashtags for World Mental Health Day 2024?
The World Health Organization recommends using the hashtag #WorldMentalHealthDay for your social media posts. You can also use #WMHD2024.
