mental health – Prolific Pulse Blog

Today, October 10, 2026, is World Mental Health Day, and this year’s theme is “Lived Experiences Heard: Real Voices, Real Change.” Below are some questions to reflect on and simple activities to help families, friends and groups listen to one another.

What Is World Mental Health Day?

World Mental Health Day was first observed in 1992 at the initiative of Richard Hunter, then Deputy Secretary General of the World Federation for Mental Health. It is marked every year on October 10, with a new theme each year to focus attention on a different part of mental health.

The 2026 Theme: “Lived Experiences Heard: Real Voices, Real Change”

How does this year’s theme affect you and me? I believe it is about all of us, and our personal need to stay mentally healthy or to find the path to get there. People who have lived through mental health challenges know things that no textbook can teach, and when their voices are truly heard, real change follows.

Mental health is a personal and a long-lasting concern with people I have cared for and about for much of my life. As a social worker and advocate for mental health I believe that lack of services, accessibility to services, and the stigma associated with mental health are major factors. If we don’t address these, we risk more distancing leading to poor care.

5 Questions to Reflect On

1. Do you recall a time when you felt truly understood? What did the other person do that fostered this feeling? Often it is simple things, like listening without interrupting or not rushing to fix the problem.

2. What unique insights do clinicians, researchers and people with lived experience each hold that others might miss? Each group sees mental health from a different angle, and the best care brings all three together.

3. How has openness from public figures shifted attitudes about mental health? Think of social influencers, celebrities, athletes and others in all areas of life who have spoken honestly about their struggles.

4. What risks do people take when they share their stories, and how can we protect them? For example, workplace environments and attitudes, stigma about mental health, and the pain of reliving difficult experiences.

5. What changes have you seen that made a real difference? If you have heard stories from others or experienced improvements yourself, such as legal changes, funding or better access to services, what made those changes possible? What factors played into them?

Activities for Putting Mental Health into Practice

1. The two-minute listening circle

In a family, circle of friends, church group, or simply around a table over nachos, each person has two uninterrupted minutes to share. Listeners respond to what they heard before anyone offers ideas or advice.

2. Redesign a local service

Pick a real service, such as a school counseling program, and redesign one feature with people who have experienced or observed its gaps. Perhaps there are accessibility issues in your community that the group can help resolve. Factors to consider include stigma, language barriers and cost.

3. Rethink everyday language

Recognize slang terms related to mental health and discuss how they shape perceptions of people with lived experience. What are some better expressions to use instead?

4. Share one helpful habit

Have each person name one thing that helps when talking with someone who has lived experience, such as asking open questions, being patient with silence, or simply saying “thank you for telling me.”

Frequently Asked Questions

When is World Mental Health Day?

World Mental Health Day is observed every year on October 10.

What is the World Mental Health Day 2026 theme?

The 2026 theme is “Lived Experiences Heard: Real Voices, Real Change,” announced by the World Federation for Mental Health.

Who started World Mental Health Day?

World Mental Health Day was started in 1992 by the World Federation for Mental Health, at the initiative of its Deputy Secretary General, Richard Hunter.

Where to Find Help

Always and forever, please know that there is help.

In the U.S., call or text 988 to reach the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline, available 24/7.
Outside the U.S., see Suicide Hotlines and Prevention Resources Around the World from Psychology Today.
If you or someone else is in immediate danger, call your local emergency number.

Lisa Tomey-Zonneveld is a never-retired social worker who is currently an artist, writer, and publisher in Raleigh, North Caroline.

A graphic featuring two hands with heart shapes, accompanied by the text 'You are not alone. Help is available whenever you need it.' It promotes Suicide Prevention Awareness Month.

Sources: WSPD – IASP Home | SAMHSA – Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration

Many of us learned the same unspoken rule while growing up: if someone might struggle with suicidal thoughts, tread carefully, change the subject, and do not say the word out loud. They taught us that staying silent is the safest option.

It isn’t. And today — World Suicide Prevention Day — groups emphasise exactly that concept. This year’s theme, set by the International Association for Suicide Prevention, is “Changing the Narrative on Suicide.” The call to action is simple: have the honest conversation instead of the careful silence.

Where I’m coming from

I spent years doing suicide intervention work across every age group — children, teenagers, adults, and older adults. I have walked many clients down the hall of the mental health center to be evaluated by the doctors.

A withdrawn fourteen-year-old and a grieving seventy-year-old can both be at serious risk, and they rarely look alike. I’ve sat with both. What I want to pass on here isn’t a clinical lecture — it’s what actually held up, conversation after conversation, across all of those ages.

The narrative that needs to change

Suicide is not a sudden, singular crisis. Risk builds quietly, shows up differently depending on who’s carrying it, and touches every age bracket. An older adult withdrawing after a loss, a middle-aged parent who’s stopped mentioning the future, a teenager who’s gone quiet online instead of loud — none of these fit the crisis-movie version of what suicide risk looks like, and that mismatch is exactly why people miss it, including in people they love.

The myth worth killing

If I could correct one thing people believe, it’s this: asking someone directly if they’re thinking about suicide does not plant the idea or make it more likely. It’s the opposite. Every study and every hour of practice I’ve had says the same thing: a direct, calm question is protective. You convey to the other person who is exhibiting suicidal ideations that you will remain steady. Silence isolates people. A direct question opens a door.

What you can actually do today

I am no longer a clinician, but I have long since encountered persons contemplating suicide. It’s confusing, at times, to know if their thoughts are legitimate or they are having a rough time, but not suicidal. Often, it is that they need someone to truly listen.

You don’t need a clinical background to matter here. A few things that consistently help:

Ask directly. Not “you’re not thinking of hurting yourself, right?” but a plain, unhurried “Are you having thoughts of suicide?” The directness itself is a kindness.

Listen without rushing to fix it. You don’t need the right response. You need not look away.

Know when to bring in more support. Caring about someone doesn’t mean you have to carry it alone — knowing when to loop in a professional or a crisis line is part of showing up well, not a failure to help enough. You are not there to cure them, but to help them get the help they need.

Follow up again later. Not once. A check-in three days later, and again the week after, tells someone the concern wasn’t a one-time performance.

If you’re the one struggling

If you are experiencing these thoughts now, you don’t need to worry about finding the right words for someone else. In the US, you can call or text 988 anytime. Outside the US, findahelpline.com will point you to a local helpline. Reaching out is not a bigger deal than what you’re carrying; it’s just the next small step.

The point of today

Changing the narrative isn’t a slogan. The difference becomes practical when someone asks a direct question without flinching, contrasting with a person silently suffering to protect others. Any of us can start that conversation. It doesn’t take a professional to have it — it just takes going first.

If you or someone you know is in crisis, call or text 988 (Suicide & Crisis Lifeline) in the US, or visit findahelpline.com for international resources.