In a society often driven by busyness and the pursuit of self-fulfilment, there is an invisible yet vital dimension to our lives: our mental health. Like the air we breathe, it is essential, yet we often only notice it when there is no longer enough of it.
The reality in numbers
The World Health Organization (WHO) reports that one in four people worldwide will be affected by a mental disorder at some point in their lives. In Germany alone, that means around 17.8 million people every year (DGPPN, 2021). These figures are more than statistics. They represent people: your neighbours, colleagues, friends and perhaps even you.
Yet although mental illness affects so many people, it is still surrounded by prejudice. Stigma means that people are assigned negative traits because of a mental illness, which leads to them being devalued, kept at a distance or disadvantaged. This can place an additional burden on those affected and make it harder for them to talk openly about their situation or to seek support in time. As a result, the illness itself is only part of the problem. The way society deals with it is the other part.
At mend-o, we believe that everyone wants to contribute something meaningful. When our mental health is impaired, it affects every area of life: our work, our private life and even our physical health.
