How does mental health contribute to development? | Experts’ Opinions

Mental health is a subject of more and more interest across many sectors and the field of international development is no exception. With the COVID-19 pandemic causing a staggering 25% increase in the prevalence of anxiety and depression worldwide, some claim this was one of the factors that triggered economic recession, a fact confirmed by the World Health Organization – mental disorders cause a significant economic burden and could strongly impact the development of a country. We decided to analyze the link between mental health and countries’ development by interviewing several specialists. Check out their opinions below.

How does mental health contribute to the development of a country?

“Mental health (MH) is defined as “a state of mental well-being that enables people to cope with the stresses of life”, contributes to individuals’ lives, improves social relationships and collective resilience. Individual mental health is the most important part of the human being because it allows us to connect with others. The benefits for development can be assessed in productivity, access to education, information, health and peace. A mentally healthy community constitutes strong social networks, programs and plans which enroll individuals, organizations and institutions. Collective resilience is the result of the implementation of well-being policies in the public and private sectors which help to prevent phenomena like absenteeism, burnout syndrome and even PTSD. Unfortunately, in many countries of Latin America, MH has become a luxury service, so people invest in licit drugs (alcohol, cigarettes) instead of their own MH. These behaviors reinforce bad social habits, impact on production and feed delinquency and poverty. Also, negative stereotypes about those visiting MH professionals are anchored in popular culture, creating a social stigma for those who attend. Education about MH is poor and lacks proper communication strategies. For example, in Ecuador, the social conflicts of 2019 and 2022, the high unemployment rates, and extreme violence in prisons put in evidence the urgent need of a non-existent national MH plan. MH is a requisite to achieve development and to create a healthy society, emotionally balanced and productive, but in parallel, a security strategy to reduce psychosocial risks is necessary.”

“Mental health is one of the most important factors underpinning the development of any community, whether that be a country, team, business, service, family, activity group… People thrive when they are surrounded by things they need, closely followed by things that make them feel good and happy. People who are mentally well are more likely to behave in community-centric ways. Feeling well in ourselves allows us the capacity to be more open, accepting, flexible and empathic. We have more insightful ideas and are more able to problem solve and are more inclined to act in favour of the greater good. And, because we’re social beings with mirror neurons that are activated via the emotions of others, we get a good dose of happy hormones when we can do good for our fellow humans, for our environment and for the planet. Education and accessible opportunities are the two most impactful ways we can make a change from the ground up so that everyone has the chance to learn, understand and act in accordance with global health. Check more about my views here and here.”

“Data clearly shows how poor mental health limits personal and societal development. Nevertheless, we know that data is not enough to change policies, practices within health systems, and attitudes in the communities. We should go beyond the impressive data on the burden of mental health on the quality of life and years lived with disability, and listen to people’s lives and stories. So, the right people to answer this question are those with lived experiences and their networks of support. However, we cannot avoid positioning for the rights of people with psychosocial disabilities; without fulfilling their rights the whole of society is affected. We also should acknowledge health inequities among people with mental health conditions whose health is overlooked. Without inclusive societies there is no development. If we sacrifice well-being, we will pay a higher price later when social cohesion will be weakened. On the other hand, poor social determinants of health (housing conditions, employment, health systems, migrations, etc.) result in poor mental health leaving entire groups behind.”

“Mental health talks are often accompanied by a prevalence of data of mental health disorders, their correlation with other impairing health conditions, and the economic burden to those afflicted, their families, and society. While this information is key to sensitizing society and decision-makers, we should bear in mind that they represent only the tip of an iceberg, the (now) visible part. What remains underneath are the undiagnosed conditions, and all those situations that, while they might not require immediate medical attention, have a significant impact on the person’s wellbeing and that of their family, friends, and colleagues. In a society of increasing complexity, with challenges ranging from the most intimate and personal to the global level, we are less and less prepared to manage conflicts, stress, and emotions. We often witness vicious circles where the deterioration of personal resources contributes to the deterioration of close relationships, with a worsening of the well-being of the person and society as a whole.”

“Mental health should go on par with physical health when it relates to the human factors affecting the outcome of progress, they cannot be separated. Yes, COVID-19 came to worsen the health of people and therefore the economy worldwide but for refugees, marginalized populations living in poverty and under humane conditions, the situation just worsened. These already critical social dislocations affecting underdeveloped and corruption-driven countries have been magnified and over-compounded by the aftermath of financial drawbacks. This is becoming a vicious cycle where poverty, wars and migration affect the mental health of the population with mental health issues and increased anxiety, depression, and other stresses affect a vast majority of people’s ability to find work and sustain it if they ever find a steady source of income. Without question, mental health should be a high priority for global development, if there is an intention to improve the lives of marginalized people, and help them enter the job market, or improve their livelihoods in a way that makes sense for the cultural spaces where they live. ”

Should mental health become a global development priority? Discuss your position.

“MH is the base for social well-being and it must consider four levels of action: the individual and family, the community, the society and the ecosystem. A mentally healthy individual is a potential cell of positive influence in his personal and social environment. A mentally sick individual becomes a risk to himself and his close ones (unproductive, violent, suicidal). People cannot focus on real social development if they have to worry about their lives and environmental destruction. Psychosocial risk management and psycho-education must be developed with individuals, families and communities to analyse all the risks (disasters, financial crisis, war, hunger and others) that could affect populations’ MH. For this reason, governments should have MH plans in the long-term. Under a neo-liberal model, neither people’s MH nor the ecosystem are a priority. During pandemics, inequalities increase and force people to adapt to a “new reality”. In Ecuador, MH programs were brutally stopped; people lost access to medicines and medical treatments, unemployment and violence rates increased. These events were aggravated by the political inaction and corruption (major risks). An illustration of political malice and absurdity was the payment of the debt by the Ecuadorian government in spite of scarce national funds to fight pandemics. In this sense, political decisions motivated the emergence of social stress and other associated mental troubles. So yes, working on MH becomes a condition for achieving well-being, social peace and the goals of global sustainable development by establishing new positive ways of relationship with the ecosystem.”

“Mental health needs to sit at the top of the list of global development priorities because, when people feel well, they are much more likely to make better choices for themselves, for others and for the world. There are many ways in which we can do better for global economies, but the golden thread running through it all is how people feel. The saying goes, “if we look after the pennies, the pounds look after themselves”, which can easily be translated to a more impactful and meaningful version, “if we look after our people, the people look after each other.” Good mental health is associated with acts of kindness, gratitude, and altruistic behaviours and these each lead to more of the same in a form of “wellbeing snowball effect”. We need to focus on the greater good, which is doing what we can to improve the health of people, wildlife and nature. There are many mental health strategies that simultaneously have a positive impact on all of these and make us feel good in the process.”

“Mental health is a priority for the next decades when we consider not only the actual needs (like treatment gaps) and the trends (for instance regarding depression) but also the impact that the climate crisis and environmental degradation have at personal and community levels. Of course, a natural disaster of human origin causes important losses and these can have traumatic impact. But think of the role of motivation and behavioral change in preparedness to such disasters and even emotional reactions to the climate crisis storytelling that often generate eco-anxiety, sadness, and hopelessness. Mental health is a crucial aspect of wider planetary health.”

“Without question, mental health should be a high priority for global development if there is an intention to improve the lives of marginalized people and help them to enter the job market or improve their livelihoods in a way that makes sense for the cultural spaces where they live. People living under uncertainty (e.g., lack of security, lack of food, water, sanitation, war, violence, fear of death, forced migration, etc.) may experience constant anxiety, depression, unresolved grief, etc. The cost of mental health recovery is way higher and, in many vulnerable places harder to access, than prevention. Countries in general, are not investing enough in mental health, and underdeveloped and war-violence-torn countries are not investing, or not investing enough in physical and/or mental health. On a par with food and security, mental health capacity building equals investing in global development. There is also a need to facilitate culturally responsive and appropriate approaches to health that can be embraced by communities and diverse groups.”

“The World Health Organization defines mental health as a “state of well-being in which the individual realizes his or her own abilities, can cope with the normal stresses of life, can work productively and fruitfully, and is able to make a contribution to his or her community”. Having this definition in mind, mental health should become a global development priority.”

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