How to look after your mental health in Czechia for World Mental Health Day

Celebrated every year on October 10th for more than seven decades, World Mental Health Day is an occasion to examine global trends in mental health, Aktuálně reports. The WHO announced that this year's celebration will focus on making mental wellbeing a global priority.

Other than the conditions themselves, people suffering from poor mental health also have to deal with the stigma and discrimination that they encounter in the workplace or in wider society. As The Lancet notes, those afflicted are in a "double jeopardy", since they have to deal both with "the impact of the primary condition and the severe consequences of stigma." The Lancet adds that "many people describe the stigma as being worse than the condition itself."

The WHO estimated that every one in eight people worldwide experiences mental health issues. In the Czech Republic, the number is one in five. Several recent events, such as the Covid-19 pandemic, the war in Ukraine, as well as the energy crisis likely contributed to making the situation worse.

Among the people suffering from some form of mental illness, roughly 10 percent suffer from a disorder linked to alcohol consumption, 7 percent suffer from some form of anxiety disorder, roughly 5.5 percent suffer from mood disorders, 4 percent suffer from depressive disorders. Four Czechs commit suicide every day.

Statistics show that there are nine psychologists per 10,000 people in the Czech Republic, less than in Slovakia, which has 16 psychologists per 10,000 population, and in Germany, which has 27.

Mental health support available to foreigners in the Czech Republic

Daily habits and routine have a tremendous impact on mental health. As such, Mental Health Europe, which is the largest independent network organization representing mental health users, professionals and service providers across Europe, has shared a top 10 of activities that can positively influence your mental wellbeing, as cited by Blesk.