Every year on October 10, World Mental Health Day serves as a global reminder that there is no health without mental health.
The World Mental Health Day 2025 theme, ‘Access to Services: Mental Health in Catastrophes and Emergencies, ‘ underscores the urgent necessity to prioritise the mental health and psychosocial support of people impacted by humanitarian crises worldwide.
Natural disasters, armed conflicts, and public health emergencies often devastate not only physical infrastructure but also emotional well-being. According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), one in five people in conflict-affected areas encounter a mental health condition, while nearly everyone affected bears emotional distress. Beyond physical safety, survivors demand mental and psychosocial care to reconstruct their lives and communities.
On #WorldMentalHealthDay, we shine a light on mental health in humanitarian crises.
When homes are lost & families separated, recovery must include #MentalHealth care.
Let’s ensure support is part of every response—before, during & after crisis https://t.co/Gf5CECYeJY pic.twitter.com/k26FZiAGYt— World Health Organization (WHO) (@WHO) October 10, 2025
A global call for empathy and coordinated action
The World Federation for Mental Health (WFMH), which first launched the observance in 1992, stresses that addressing mental health in emergencies is not optional; it is life-saving. This year’s campaign encourages governments, healthcare providers, educators, and community groups to link in ensuring that mental health support reaches those most in need.
The call to action emphasises cooperation between local authorities, humanitarian agencies, and international partners to make mental health services accessible, inclusive, and sustainable.
Mental health in times of crisis
Humanitarian emergencies usually shatter the social fabric that sustains communities. Homes are destroyed, families are separated, and livelihoods vanish overnight. Even after safety is restored, psychological wounds prevail. The WFMH notes that continuity of mental health care during and after emergencies is vital to long-term healing and resilience.
Migrants and refugees, in particular, face multiple layers of stress from fleeing conflict to navigating tension in host countries. By the end of 2024, over 123 million people were forcibly displaced worldwide, with 71 percent hosted in low- and middle-income nations where healthcare systems are already under tension. In such environments, access to professional mental health aid remains restricted, leaving millions vulnerable.
Building stronger, more resilient communities
The WFMH and WHO highlight that integrating mental health into emergency response systems not only saves lives but also strengthens overall community resilience. Evidence-based and community-driven interventions — such as Psychological First Aid, peer support programmes, and self-help tools form the foundation of an effective, layered approach.
The Mental Health and Psychosocial Support Minimum Service Package provides a framework for coordinated care, ensuring that humanitarian workers and local agencies can deliver timely and efficient support. Special focus is placed on inclusive care for children, older adults, people with disabilities, refugees, and individuals with pre-existing mental health conditions.
Common warning signs of persistent low mood or depression may include:
- Feeling persistently low or sad for more than two weeks
- Losing curiosity or pleasure in activities you usually enjoy
- Thoughts of self-harm or feeling hopeless
- Difficulty performing daily tasks consistently
- Significant differences in sleep, appetite, or sex drive
- Severe irritability affecting relationships
Tips to support your mental health:
- Reach out to a trusted friend, family member, or mental health professional
- Preserve a regular sleep schedule and engage in light physical activity
- Spend time outdoors or in nature to boost mood
- Limit alcohol and caffeine, which can worsen low mood
- Practice mindfulness, journaling, or relaxation exercises
- Set small, manageable goals to recover a sense of control
- Remember that asking for help is a sign of strength and can make a real difference in recovery
A legacy of global awareness
Since its first celebration in 1992, World Mental Health Day has grown into a major global awareness campaign supported by the WHO and mental health organisations in over 150 countries. The day provides a vital medium for education, advocacy, and open dialogue to challenge stigma surrounding mental illness.
Over the years, themes have grown to recall the world’s changing challenges — from improving mental health services to addressing the effects of pandemics, conflict, and displacement. The 2025 theme reaffirms a crucial truth; mental health care is not a luxury dedicated for stability, but a necessity in the depth of chaos.
Towards a mentally resilient world
As the world faces increasing humanitarian crises, this year’s World Mental Health Day screams for renewed global solidarity. By investing in mental health services and integrating them into emergency response systems, nations can guarantee that recovery goes beyond rebuilding infrastructure; it rebuilds lives.
On this World Mental Health Day, let us pledge to create a world where mental health is valued, protected, and accessible for everyone, especially in the face of adversity.
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