Why is Mental Health a Human Right?
Our mental health directly affects how we think, how we act, and thus has a serious impact on our quality of life. Our mental health also affects our physical health. People with mental well-being problems may experience some somatic pain, may experience stress-induced heart attacks, may be physically destroyed after drug and alcohol use caused by mental disorders, and may experience sleep disturbances due to mental problems. Studies have shown that one of the most important precursors of cancer risk is stress. Therefore, our mental health is as important a right to health as our physical health.
United Nations Mental Health Strategy
Sick leave due to mental health diagnoses accounts for 14% of total lost work days per year, according to a study of United Nations employees. The mental health strategy plan created in the researches and the free psychological support plan to be given to the United Nations employees reveal that mental support is a right. The United Nations is also preparing a kind of social responsibility project by preparing some studies and plans to give this right not only to its employees but also to the whole world.
According to the United Nations' 2018-2023 mental health strategy roadmap;
- Create a workplace that promotes mental and physical well-being of employees.
- Mental health and well-being services should be placed at all duty stations and these services should be developed, promoted and evaluated.
- Employees with mental health problems should be given the necessary support.
- Sustainable financing should be provided for mental health and well-being services.
Mental Well-Being for All
The increase in the deterioration of mental well-being with the pandemic has brought with it an important health crisis all over the world. While one out of every eight people had mental well-being problems before the pandemic, this rate increased by 20% after the pandemic. Rising social and economic inequalities, conflicts of political violence, and the post-pandemic economic crisis have severely impacted public health, threatening progress towards improving well-being. Therefore, as individuals, communities, companies and governments, we must increase the importance we place on mental health and respect the right to mental well-being for everyone so that all mental health needs are met through a range of community-based accessible, affordable and quality services and support.
Innerjoy and Meditation for All
Meditation and other mindfulness practices are an important alternative that strengthens our mental well-being, increases our stress management and helps to solve our somatic problems. Studies have shown that meditating helps to solve many problems that affect mental well-being, such as depression, stress, and sleep problems. Innerjoy, on the other hand, serves mental well-being with many different mindfulness content based on scientific foundations, especially meditation. As Innerjoy team, we offer free meditation without premium service to android users after a 7-day free trial version to serve this purpose, under the meditation project for everyone, based on the motivation that mental well-being is a right.
You can download Innerjoy from Google Play or Apple Store.
