World Mental Health Day 2026 Observed on 10 October with the Theme 'Lived Experiences Heard: Real Voices, Real Change'

10 October 2026National

World Mental Health Day was observed on 10 October 2026 on the theme 'Lived experiences heard: real voices, real change', which places people with direct experience of mental illness at the centre of policy design and service delivery. The day was first marked in 1992 on the initiative of the World Federation for Mental Health (WFMH). India's institutional response rests on the National Mental Health Programme (1982), the District Mental Health Programme (1996) modelled on Karnataka's Bellary model, and the Mental Healthcare Act, 2017. The Tele-MANAS 24x7 helpline and over 1.75 lakh Ayushman Arogya Mandirs now deliver mental-health services nationwide.

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The Mental Healthcare Act, 2017 decriminalised attempted suicide and is aligned with the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities | WHO's Comprehensive Mental Health Action Plan runs to 2030 and its mhGAP programme trains non-specialists | SDG target 3.4 covers mental health and well-being

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