Speak Your Mind, a global campaign of civil society campaigners for better mental health across 20 countries, have worked together with global experts to explore the wider case for investing in mental health in their new report: The Return on the Individual. The report shows how investing in mental health creates a ripple of positive effects that include, but go beyond the financial, to the individual and the social.
For the first time, this report puts individuals at the forefront of the case for mental health investment and raises the voices of people with lived experience. Individuals like Timiebi, Graeme, Josephine, Sodkin and Ceceilia, who share their powerful stories in the report, are living proof of how investment has the ability to transform lives. These personal stories from around the world demonstrate the endless returns available to societies - from improved physical health, to positive impacts on the family unit, to social cohesiveness and more.
Our hope is that this report will equip anyone passionate about improving mental health with the case for support to approach their leaders to call for greater prioritisation and investment in mental health. And, that decision makers who are hearing increased calls for action read this report to understand the many benefits that come from prioritising what so many in our world are talking about right now - our collective mental health.
In light of the current public health crisis, this report is timely and important. We know that COVID-19 will have significant short and long-term impacts on mental health around the world and we urge governments to integrate mental health into their national responses. It is time to invest in mental health and release the returns our lives, families, businesses, society and world needs now, more than ever.
