World Mental Health Day 2025

Join the World Confederation of CBT (WCCBT) and the World Health Organization to mark World Mental Health Day on October 10th, 2025: The World Health Organization’s 2025 Mental Health Day theme is Mental health in humanitarian emergencies.

World Mental Health Day serves as a powerful reminder that there is no health without mental health. This year, the W.H.O campaign focuses on the urgent need to support the mental health and psychosocial needs of people affected by humanitarian emergencies.

• About 305 million people will need humanitarian assistance and protection in 2025. 
• Crises such as natural disasters, conflicts, and public health emergencies cause emotional distress, with 1 in 5 individuals experiencing a mental health condition.
•  Today, an estimated 67 million people with mental disorders are living in conflict, disaster, or displacement settings.

Their needs are not marginal — they are among those most affected. Most people with mental health conditions in humanitarian settings — including those with pre-existing conditions — receive no care at all — an equity gap we cannot ignore. 

Supporting the mental well-being of individuals during such crises saves lives, gives people the strength to cope, the space to heal and to recover and rebuild not only as individuals but as communities. That’s why it is essential for everyone, including mental health professionals, government officials, health and social care providers, school staff and community groups to come together. By working hand in hand, we can ensure the most vulnerable have access to the support they need while protecting the well-being of everyone.  Mental health support in emergencies is not charity and not optional — it is survival, dignity, and the foundation of recovery.​

By investing in evidence and community-based interventions, we can address immediate mental health needs, foster long-term recovery, and empower people and communities to rebuild their lives and thrive. Integrating mental health ​ strengthens the emergency response​. A layered approach, from self-help tools to specialized care, ensures effective support:

Key activities through the Health Sector include:

1. A Situational analysis​ and needs assessment
2. Psychological ​first aid ​
3. Front-line mental health care in general health care facilities 
4. Facilitating ​ continued care ​and protection of vulnerable persons​in mental ​institutions​
5. Psychological ​interventions ​implementation ​& planning mental ​health system ​recovery​

On this World Mental Health Day, let us intensify our efforts to create a world where mental health is valued, protected, and accessible for all, especially in the face of adversity.