SEATTLE — Mental health is an issue for people all over the world, but unfortunately it is often ignored or even stigmatized.

According to Psychology Today, stigma can be both social in the form of discrimination against those with mental health issues and stigma can also take the form of self-stigma where someone feels shame about his/her own mental health.

A U.K. study shows that most people consider those with mental health problems to be dangerous and believe that certain mental health issues are the result of personal choice.

Another Australian study points out that one in five people would keep the fact that they have depression a secret, so both social and self-stigma appear to be a reality. Mental health in developing countries presents an additional set of challenges.

In developed countries, access to mental health care is still available, but in underdeveloped nations, the fact that medical care is scarce in general means that mental health often falls by the wayside.

For example, even as recently as March of this year, Liberia only had one registered psychologist, which is certainly not enough to address the one in five Liberians who do suffer from some mental disorder.

Fortunately, the WHO has been taking steps to address the dearth of mental health resources for those who need it. Last April, World Bank and the WHO collaborated to give a presentation in an effort to garner support for mental health in developing countries.

Jim Yong Kim, the president of World Bank called mental health “not just a public health issue,” but also a “development issue.” “We need to act now because the lost productivity is something the global economy simply cannot afford,” he said.

By presenting mental health in developing countries as an issue that does indirectly affect the world, Kim provides more incentive for others to invest in mental health.

In May, the WHO released a newsletter via its Mental Health Gap Action Programme (mhGAP) of some of the ongoing developments in the battle against mental health issues, which can be found here: http://www.who.int/mental_health/mhgap/newsletter_may_2016.pdf.

Some of their recent developments include updating Problem Management Plus, which is a manual that provides instruction on how to deal with a variety of mental health issues.

These types of manuals are valuable because they provide a quick, practical package of information to educate health care workers who otherwise are not well versed in mental health problems.

Back in Liberia, hundreds of health care workers have received training from the WHO concerning identifying and treating mental health issues. Additionally, one year ago, an organization called Cultivation for Users’ Hope was set up that educates people about mental health and breaks down the various stigmas surrounding it.

The fact that improving mental health has been included on the UN’s Sustainable Development Agenda is a promising sign, and hopefully understanding of and treatment for mental health disorders will continue to rise.

– Edmond Kim

Photo: Flickr