UNITED NATIONS, Oct. 10 (Xinhua) -- UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Wednesday called for more attention directed to people's mental health, especially that of young people, in observance of the World Mental Health Day.
"For too long, mental health has been mostly an afterthought, despite its overwhelming impacts on communities and young people, everywhere," Guterres said in a message for this world day.
About one in five young people experiences mental health problems; half of all mental health conditions start by the age of 14 but most cases are undetected and untreated, according to the UN chief.
Poor mental health during adolescence has an impact on educational achievement and increases the risk of alcohol and substance use and violent behavior, he said, adding that suicide is a leading cause of death in young people.
With regard to adults' mental health, he said millions of people are caught up in conflict and disasters, putting them at risk of a range of long-term mental health problems; violence against women -- physical, sexual and psychological -- results in lasting scars, including post-traumatic stress disorder.
Recalling a great deal of mental health conditions are both preventable and treatable, Guterres stressed healthy societies require greater integration of mental health into broader health and social care systems, under the umbrella of universal health coverage.
The UN chief reiterated the UN's commitment to creating a world where everyone, everywhere has someone to turn to in support of their mental health by 2030. "It is time to act on mental health."
