World Mental Health Day 2026: A Summary

October 10th 2026

Read, watch and listen to everything UnitedGMH and partners have been working on this Mental Health Day. Here’s our World Mental Health Day summary.

This World Mental Health Day, the theme is “Lived experiences heard: real voices, real change.” So we’re focusing on what it means to put people with lived experience at the heart of mental health advocacy and action.

Across United for Global Mental Health (UnitedGMH) and the Global Mental Health Action Network (GMHAN), people with lived experience are helping shape guidance, influence global policy, share their stories and lead conversations about what needs to change.

Here’s some of what we’re sharing and working on this World Mental Health Day.

Thank you for joining us to advocate for mental health for everyone, everywhere.

The UnitedGMH Team

EDITOR’S NOTE

Actually hear from the experts by experience. This month, GMHAN members will be taking over GMHAN LinkedIn and Instagram channels, sharing their experiences, perspectives and ideas for change. Follow them on Instagram and Linkedin.

FEATURE

Missed our World Mental Health Day webinar?

How can we ensure people with lived experience are shaping mental health policy, services and practice?

Earlier today, our World Mental Health Day webinar brought together experts by experience from Indonesia, New Zealand and Rwanda, alongside representatives from WHO, the World Federation for Mental Health, UnitedGMH and GMHAN.

Rewatch the webinar →

NEW GUIDELINES

New WHO guidance on deinstitutionalisation

The World Health Organization has launched new guidance to help countries move away from institutionalisation towards rights-based, community-based mental health care.

Read the guidance →

NEW ACTION GROUP

Care about Care Not Custody?

The new Care Not Custody allies group is for anyone who wants to support deinstitutionalisation. Connect, learn and take action alongside people with lived experience.

“If we are serious about involving people with lived experience in our work, then one of the simplest actions we can take is to stop asking them to justify their experience.”

Dr. Antonis Kousoulis MD, DrPH. · GMHAN Secretariat Lead

Read the full post →

Their stories. Their words.

Several GMHAN members are featured in the World Health Organization’s official World Mental Health Day campaign content this year, sharing their personal lived experiences of institutionalisation, recovery and change they want to see.

Hear directly from them in these video and written stories on the WHO landing page.

A new podcast. A lot to talk about.

We’re launching Mind. Set. Go!, our new short podcast series on the people and ideas shaping global mental health.

In our first episode, Ali Hasnain, UnitedGMH’s deinstitutionalisation lead, speaks with WHO’s Dr. Mark van Ommeren about deinstitutionalisation and the shift towards rights-based, community-based mental health care.

Listen now →

Work respectfully with people with lived experience.

UnitedGMH was founded because mental health was not prioritized in policy or funding, and because people with lived experience were being entirely left out of the conversation.

We believe there should be nothing about us without us.

That’s why GMHAN, a network of 11,000+ members in 170+ countries, has created a new guide sharing practical advice on how to work meaningfully and respectfully with people with lived experience.

Download the guide →

Let’s get moving.

We are bringing together people with lived experience alongside global actors to build a coalition that recognises movement as part of how we support better mental health — while building the political and financial support to take promising approaches to scale.

Our new Berlin Marathon film, made with lululemon and the Midnight Runners Berlin running community, is one recent example of how we’re collaborating on the benefits of movement for mental health.

Explore the revamped page →