World Mental Health Day is celebrated every year on October 10 at the initiative of the World Federation for Mental Health. The theme of this year’s World Mental Health Day is ‘Mental health is a universal human right’.
To raise awareness of mental health, health professionals from the Clinic for Psychiatry, University Clinical Center Tuzla together with the Association for mutual assistance in mental Distress TK “Feniks” hosted a press conference on the occasion of the day.
This year’s global campaign is dedicated to encourage and facilitate greater collaboration between governments, citizens and decision- makers to ensure that mental health is valuated, promoted and protected, and that urgent action is to be taken so that everyone realizes their human rights and rights
to access quality and effective mental health care services.
According to the head of the Clinic for Psychiatry Dr. Nerminka Aljukić MSci., world statistics show that an estimated one in four people globally will experience a mental health condition in their lifetime, and the mental disorders in children and young people have statistically doubled in the last few years.” Stigma and discrimination continue to be an obstacle to social inclusion and access to mental health care. Mental health must be clearly placed within the framework of human rights in order to turn the pursuit of good mental health into a fundamental human right again. World Mental Health Day is an opportunity to talk and reflect on the improvement of mental health, but also a joint contribution to increasing awareness of the importance of fighting against stigma and discrimination in order to achieve a better society.” pointed out Dr. Aljukic.
As partners in initiatives “Improve the environment to improve mental health”, and in support of the World Mental Health 2023, the Clinic for Psychiatry and the Association for mutual assistance in mental Distress TK “Feniks” opened within the clinic an area that will be used in purpose of occupational therapy.
Members of the Feniks association said that initiatives “Improve the environment to improve mental health” aim to raise the quality of life and recovery process by increasing the social inclusion of people with a psychosocial disabilities, as well as improving communication between mental health services providers and users and their families. In addition to improving attitudes towards the environment, as a factor in improving mental health, activities also include workshops on healthy lifestyles and strategies for working with people who have disabilities.
