Mental Health Awareness Month: All you need to know about the commemoration

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‘Mental Health is a state of well-being that enables people to cope with the stresses of life, realize their abilities, learn well, and work well and contribute to their community ‘- World Health Organisation.

Mental Health Awareness Month, formerly known as Mental Health America (MHA), started in May 1949 in the U.S. The awareness month begins from the first day of May to the last day of the Month. The awareness month is tagged with a green ribbon as a symbol.

People do not prioritize their mental and emotional health. They believe as wrong as there are no obvious symptoms of mental challenges, they are right mentally. Africans even think they are immune to mental conditions like depression. One does not have to be mentally sick before they are concerned about their mental health. Being mindful of one’s mental health will prevent a full-on mental breakdown.

This year’s theme is ‘Where to Start’. The theme is ‘for anyone struggling with the pressure of today’s world, feeling alone, or wondering if they can feel better, this Where to Start’. Today’s world indirectly imposes pressure on folks even at a young age. Gone are the days when adults were the only ones bothered about the cost of living, these days youths and even children are warped in their thoughts.

There are handouts and access toolkits available online to sensitize people about their mental health. The goal of this month is to inform people about their mental health so that they do not continue to handle it trivially. In the same vein, they are also informed on how to treat people well and prioritize their mental health.

Hashtags such as #MentalHealthAwareness, #MentalHealthMatters, #MHAM2024, #EmotionalWellness, and #SelfCare can be used to raise awareness about mental health on social media.

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Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s visit to Nigeria in commemoration of MHAM

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex graced Nigeria with a three-day visit. The royal couple who landed in Nigeria on Friday, May 11, 2024, was in Nigeria by invitation of the Chief Of Defense Staff, General Christopher Gwabina Musa OFR.

Their visit was to ‘promote mental health for soldiers and empower young people’. It was also in commemoration of the 10th anniversary of the Invictus Games. The game ‘helps wounded, sick, and injured service personnel find new purpose through sports’. After a military personnel encounters a body deformity after an assignment, he is discharged from the army.

Military personnel might not even suffer body deformity, but sometimes his mind is scarred from the experience which takes a toll on his mental health. Their visit brought about fundraising for the cause.