World Mental Health Day 2025: Faith Perspectives
On October 10th, many people will take a moment to think about mental health, as they mark World Mental Health Day. This year’s theme set by the World Federation for Mental Health is access to services in the context of catastrophes and emergencies. In an increasingly chaotic and hostile world with increasingly strained finances in the mental health sector, this theme is timely and necessary.
Now, more than ever, it’s crucial to harness the skills and assets in our local communities to improve mental health. Faith groups make an important contribution to this work through their commitment to service, both with their own members and with wider communities. In particular, faith groups are able to utilise the enthusiasm of their members as volunteers to create a more cohesive and circular community atmosphere.
The World Federation for Mental Health are also highlighting how large regional or global catastrophes affect mental health. In 2024, natural disasters alone negatively impacted 167.2 million people worldwide, with hundreds of millions more who are negatively impacted by political violence, conflict, and war.
Even if you haven’t been directly impacted, you still may feel like you have been. Aside from the millions of us with personal connections to disaster-affected regions, social media, news agencies and cable news networks are constantly reminding us of what’s happening in the world. As a result, we struggle to ‘switch-off’ or be truly present in our own lives with the weight of the world on our shoulders – or in our mobile phones.
That’s why, on World Mental Health Day, it is more important for faith communities to come together and support each other. Faith-based spaces and places of worship are uniquely positioned in society to provide a safe, welcoming and trusting space for people to come together and connect on a deeper spiritual level. This does wonders for mental health. In 2023, the Institute for the Impact of Faith in Life found that 74% of participants with a stated religious affiliation reported that they were confident about dealing with the challenges that come with life (with 8% saying they were unconfident). For atheists, 56% said that they were confident, with nearly a quarter (24%) saying that they were unconfident.
Different ways of supporting World Mental Health Day
Tea and Talk event
As a starting point to get involved on World Mental Health Day, Mental Health Foundation is encouraging a UK-wide Tea & Talk event as an opportunity for individuals and organisations to host an informal drinks and chat event to promote mental health conversation. However, we must acknowledge that mental health can be expressed in any way that feels relevant to your faith or your wider community, so it is important to see what works for those you serve. World Mental Health Day is a way to explore different avenues.
Become a Friendly Place
At FaithAction we are participating actively in promoting faith-based mental health support in communities. In 2014, FaithAction pioneered the Friendly Places initiative. By signing up to the Friendly Places Pledge, a faith group makes a commitment to be a place which welcomes and supports those struggling with their mental health. Find out more and become a Friendly Place today
Faith based organisations and resources
You may wish to explore mental health organisations that are sensitive to your faith—whether for your own support or to share with your faith community.
Some Muslim mental health organisations include the Muslim Mind Collaborative which focuses on the specific mental health needs of Muslim communities, calling for faith-sensitive mental health support. Other relevant organisations are Inspirited Minds, who work predominantly with those from an Islamic faith, however they do not disregard any persons of differing backgrounds. Muslim Youth Helpline is a free, anonymous and confidential service providing faith and culturally sensitive support.
Christian based organisations include Sanctuary Mental Health Ministries who run programmes to equip churches to better support mental health, and Renew Wellbeing, who help churches to work with mental health teams to improve mental and emotional wellbeing.
City Hindus have the “Health is Wealth” programme, and Buddhists have The Buddhist Centre resource for mental health.
Jewish care offers a mental health service called Jami, which delivers a range of support serving their community, from education and training to welcoming café spaces.
Taraki are dedicated to pioneering approaches to mental health within the Punjabi and Sikh communities, as are Sikh Your Mind. The Guru Nanak Nishkam Sewak Jatha (GNNSJ) is a faith-based charitable organisation dedicated to practicing and promoting nishkam (selfless) service.
Want to know more about World Mental Health Day? Click here
