World Mental Health Day 2007

Voice 1:
Thank you for joining us for today’s Spotlight program. I’m Liz Waid.

Voice 2:
And I’m Joshua Leo. Spotlight uses a special English method of broadcasting. It is easier for people to understand, no matter where in the world they live.

Voice 3:
“Health is a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being. It is not just the lack of disease or weakness.”

Voice 1:
This is how the World Health Organization defines health. The WHO believes that mental health is just as important as physical health. The mind is just as important as the body.

Voice 2:
The World Federation for Mental Health agrees. This group works to help people understand more about mental health. And they help support people who suffer from mental health disorders or problems. Since 1992, they have led the world in observing a special day. This is a day to think about world mental health. World Mental Health Day happens on October 10 every year.

Voice 1:
Today’s Spotlight is on World Mental Health Day 2007. On October 10 people all around the world will join together. They will work to educate people about mental health issues. They will aim to improve treatment and care for people who already suffer from mental health issues. They will try to remove prejudices, or bad ideas about mental health that people have. They will try to help the people of the world to understand mental health issues.

Voice 2:
This year people all around the world will concentrate on a single theme or idea for World Mental Health Day. This year’s theme is “Mental Health in a Changing World: The Impact of Culture and Diversity.”

Voice 1:
Mental disorders, or mental issues, are real problems in a person’s brain. They prevent a person from living a full and happy life. There are many different kinds of mental health disorders. For example, mood disorders affect a person’s emotions. Depression is a mood disorder. Anxiety disorders cause a person to feel extreme fear. These fears may be irrational - they may have no reasoning behind them. Other kinds of disorders may affect a person’s eating behaviour, development, personality or other part of the mind.

Voice 2:
Mental disorders can be mild or severe. They can be temporary or permanent. Mental health experts believe that mental disorders are also common. The WHO says that hundreds of millions of people suffer from some form of mental disorder. Mental problems can affect people from any race, ethnicity, country, sex, or place in society. They can affect any person anywhere!

Voice 1:
People can receive treatment for mental disorders. But treatment can be difficult to find. And it can be even more difficult for a person to find mental help when he is far away from his home or culture. Many cultures deal with mental problems in different ways. This is the issue that the World Federation for Mental Health wants people to look at on October 10, 2007.

Voice 2:
This issue is particularly important for migrants. The Federation says that three percent of the global population lives outside of their original home countries. These migrants experience different languages, traditions, and values in the countries they move to.

Voice 1:
Language, tradition, opinions and values are all a part of culture. And these things can all be barriers to solving mental health problems. Culture influences how people communicate their problems. And language may be a barrier.