Time until :
0
Days0
Hours0
Minutes0
SecondsTable of Contents
What is World Mental Health Day?
World Mental Health Day is observed every October 10 to raise awareness of mental health and combat stigma. It was established by the World Federation for Mental Health (WFMH) in 1992 and is now supported worldwide by the WHO and member organisations in over 150 countries.
Why October 10?
The first World Mental Health Day was held on October 10, 1992, as an annual activity of the World Federation for Mental Health (WFMH). It was proposed by Richard Hunter, then WFMH Deputy Secretary General. October 10 has no specific historical anniversary tied to it — the date was chosen simply to establish a consistent annual focal point for the campaign.
Themes were introduced from 1994 onwards (the first being Improving the Quality of Mental Health Services Throughout the World), making World Mental Health Day a structured annual campaign rather than just an awareness date.
Upcoming dates
World Mental Health Day falls on October 10 every year. The next five occurrences:
| Year | Date | Day of week |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | October 10, 2026 | Saturday |
| 2027 | October 10, 2027 | Sunday |
| 2028 | October 10, 2028 | Tuesday |
| 2029 | October 10, 2029 | Wednesday |
| 2030 | October 10, 2030 | Thursday |
Mental health by the numbers
From WHO's World Mental Health Report (2022) and Global Health Estimates:
- 970 million people globally lived with a mental disorder in 2019 — about 1 in 8 of the world's population.
- Anxiety disorders affect around 301 million people; depressive disorders around 280 million.
- Suicide accounts for over 700,000 deaths per year — the fourth leading cause of death among 15–29 year-olds.
- Around two-thirds of people with a known mental disorder never receive treatment, even in high-income countries.
- Governments spend on average just 2% of their health budgets on mental health.
Recent themes
| Year | Theme |
|---|---|
| 2024 | Mental health at work |
| 2023 | Mental health is a universal human right |
| 2022 | Make mental health and well-being for all a global priority |
| 2021 | Mental Health in an Unequal World |
| 2020 | Mental Health for All: Greater Investment — Greater Access |
Sources & references
- World Federation for Mental Health — founder and lead organisation.
- WHO — World Mental Health Day.
- WHO World Mental Health Report 2022 — source of the global mental health statistics above.
FAQs
World Mental Health Day was established by the World Federation for Mental Health (WFMH), a non-governmental organisation in official relations with the WHO. The first World Mental Health Day was held on October 10, 1992, as an annual activity of the WFMH proposed by then-Deputy Secretary General Richard Hunter.
October 10 has no specific historical significance — it was chosen by the WFMH in 1992 to establish a consistent annual date for the campaign. The first event ran without a theme; themes began in 1994 with Improving the Quality of Mental Health Services Throughout the World.
According to WHO, in 2019 around 970 million people globally lived with a mental disorder — about 1 in 8 people. Anxiety disorders (301 million) and depressive disorders (280 million) are the most common. Suicide accounts for over 700,000 deaths each year — the fourth leading cause of death among 15–29 year-olds.
The 2024 theme was Mental health at work. Recent themes include Mental health is a universal human right (2023) and Make mental health and well-being for all a global priority (2022). The WFMH publishes each year's theme at wfmh.global.
In the United States, October 10 falls within Mental Illness Awareness Week (the first full week of October), as designated by the US Congress in 1990. World Mental Health Day and Mental Illness Awareness Week are coordinated but run by different organisations — WFMH internationally and NAMI in the US.
No. World Mental Health Day is an international awareness day, not a public holiday. Many employers, schools and health services run mental health initiatives, training and check-in events to mark it.