Darlington Association on Disability

World Mental Health Day - 10th October

Date: Wednesday 01st October 2025 to Saturday 11th October 2025

Time: 23.00 to 09.00

World Mental Health Day is celebrated every year on 10 October. The day is about coming together to talk about mental health and show everyone that mental health matters. Talking about our mental health can help us cope better with life’s ups and downs. 

2025 Theme: Prioritizing Mental Health in the Workplace

The theme for World Mental Health Day 2025 is “It is time to prioritise mental health in the workplace” – a call to action that speaks to millions of people who spend the majority of their waking hours at work. Whether in an office, hospital, school, factory, or home environment, the workplace has a powerful impact on our emotional wellbeing. Yet for too long, mental health has been treated as a private issue rather than a workplace priority.

According to the Mental Health Foundation, poor mental health is responsible for more lost workdays than any other health condition. But it’s not just about absenteeism. Work-related stress, burnout, discrimination, and lack of support can erode confidence, productivity, and overall quality of life. And for marginalized groups, the risk is even greater due to systemic inequalities.

In 2025, this theme urges employers to move beyond token gestures and embed mental wellbeing into the culture of their organizations. That means offering training for managers, creating safe spaces for conversations, setting realistic workloads, and ensuring policies around harassment and discrimination are upheld. It also means recognizing the value of peer support, flexible schedules, mental health leave, and access to professional services.

Employees, too, can be part of the change by advocating for their rights, checking in on coworkers, and participating in workplace initiatives. When mental health is protected at work, it creates ripples that benefit families, communities, and entire economies.

For more guidance, the Mental Health Foundation provides a range of resources including the publication “How to Support Mental Health at Work”, which offers practical steps for both employers and employees to build supportive, mentally healthy workplaces.