World Mental Health Day:

Help promote Butterfly Project

On October 10, people from all over the globe will mark World Mental Health Day, which would raise public awareness about mental health issues on a global scale. The day promotes an open discussion about everyone's mental well-being.

According to World Health Organization, depression has been ranked as the third leading cause for the global burden of disease in 2004 and will move into first place by 2030. It is now estimated that 350 million people globally are affected by depression.

The good news is that mental illnesses like depression could be treated, while full recovery is possible. The first step in that journey is to start talking about the issue with our friends and families.

This year, groups of people with mental illness and their families, have adopted the butterfly as their symbol for this special day to represent the beauty and uniqueness of our minds. Just like the butterfly, no two minds are identical, but all are equally magnificent.

By purchasing a colourful butterfly badge and an informational booklet, Sri Lankans can help raise awareness about mental health issues in their community, while wearing their butterfly with pride.

The public can buy their butterfly by visiting ODEL's uptown Circus location on 6th, 7th or 10 October, by emailing [email protected] or checking the Facebook page for upcoming events throughout the country - http://www.facebook.com/WMHD2012SriLanka.

All proceeds would be distributed directly and evenly to self-help groups across the country.