“MENTAL AND PHYSICAL HEALTH ACROSS THE LIFE SPAN ”

1. “MENTAL AND PHYSICAL HEALTH ACROSS THE LIFE SPAN” 2005 WORLD MENTAL HEALTH DAY

2. WORLD MENTAL HEALTH DAY The Global Mental Health Awareness Campaign of the World Federation for Mental Health

3. WORLD MENTAL HEALTH DAY • First organized by WFMH as an annual campaign in 1992 • Annual theme is selected to reflect a major mental health education, advocacy, policy or services issue • A campaign materials packet is prepared by WFMH and distributed to local, regional and national organizations worldwide • Organizations are encouraged to adopt the annual theme and to plan and conduct World Mental Health Day events on 10 October, and throughout the year.

4. 2005 THEME The theme for World Mental Health Day 2005 is “Mental and Physical Health Across the Life Span,” emphasizing the importance of recognizing the inter-dependence of good mental and physical health at every stage of life

5. SOME KEY MESSAGES • Recognizing the important relationship between mental and physical health and well-being at all stages of life is critical to ensuring healthy individuals, well-functioning families, and successful communities • Neglecting the health and wellness of any segment of the population leads to major human and social welfare problems for entire nations

6. MAJOR TOPIC AREAS • Introduction: Mental and Physical Health Across the Life Span • A Healthy Start to Life • Growing Up Well: Paying Attention to the Teen and ‘Tween Years • Physical & Mental Health in Adulthood • WFMH Special Projects Relating to Mental and Physical Health • Primary Care and Mental Health

7. The ultimate objective of World Mental Health Day 2005 is to remind us that the mental health of every individual – at every stage of life – is the framework on which successful and fulfilling lives are built In 1946, WHO defined “health” as “the complete state of physical, mental, and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease”

8. Introducing the 2006 WMHDay Focus The focus for the 2006 World Mental Health Day campaign will be suicide and mental illness: Suicide: the global disease burden Mental illness: the greatest risk factor for suicide Mental health care and mental health promotion: reducing the suicide risk Cross-cultural perspectives of suicide and mental illness

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