Mental health: the forgotten human right

topic:	Health and Sanitation
located:	Brazil, Japan, Uruguay
editor:	Ellen Nemitz

One month separates the World Suicide Prevention Day, which takes place on September 10, from the World Mental Health Day, on October 10. For the World Health Organization (WHO), it is time to discuss how bad our societies still deal with the topic. Surrounded by stigma and prejudice, mental disorders such as depression and anxiety affect around 1 billion people in the world, while the average countries’ budget destined for mental health care is only 2 per cent, and "more than 75 per cent of people with mental, neurological and substance with disorders receive no treatment for their condition at all,” the organization says.

In the year in which these awareness days come amid a pandemic that has taken many lives away, thrown millions to poverty and exposed some of the worst wounds of our society, a partnered campaign from WHO, United for Global Mental Health and the World Federation for Mental Health tries to change the scenario: "Move for mental health: let’s invest."

However, before discussing how much to invest, countries need to discuss how to invest. Decades after the anti-asylum movement begun, mental health facilities and laws are still developing in some countries, such as Uruguay, that chose 2025 as a goal to close all asylum institutions; in others, they are set-backing (Brazil as an example, where asylum institutions' return over a humanized care system instituted by law since 2001 is a threat).

Also, suicide prevention campaigns hardly take into account the diversity of mental health suffering. Despite affecting virtually anyone, there are worsening factors to suicide risk. Due to racism and consequent inequalities, for example, black teens and young adults between 10 and 29 years old are 45 per cent more likely to commit suicide, comparing to other ethnic groups. Indigenous populations are witnessing alarming suicide rates too, and specialists tend to blame the attacks to territories and the lack of governmental assistance. Also, some Brazilian researchers studied the relationship between domestic violence and suicides (or attempts) among women, highlighting the lack of proper investigations about it and the invisibility of this correlation. Other groups, such as LGBTI, face suicide as a response to exclusion and violence as well.

Suicide, thus, is not just a matter of "choosing life" or going to a therapist (even though professional care is essential and should be available for everyone). Suicide is a social problem, a symptom of a failed capitalism – in Japan, for example, the Covid-19 quarantine brought a 20 per cent decrease in the number of suicides, presumably because people were put outside its pressuring work and education system.

Back in Latin America, our perspective is not so bright. The economic disruption is historic – the average GDP drop for 2020 is expected to be around 9,1 per cent, according to the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean – and the effects of social isolation measures are just beginning to be fully understood.

Suicide prevention and mental health promotion are more necessary than ever, but it must come together with all other human rights, from basic food and shelter to quality education, gender and ethical equality. In order to make sure people will "choose to live", we must first guarantee life with dignity.

Image by Foundry Co

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