As the world continues to become more interconnected, the effects of globalization are becoming increasingly apparent. From the rise of international trade to the increased mobility of people, globalization has had a profound impact on our lives. But what about its effect on mental health? In this article, we'll explore how globalization is impacting mental health and what can be done to address the issue. It's no secret that globalization has led to a shift in many societies from sociocentric to egocentric. This shift has been linked to higher rates of common mental disorders, such as depression and anxiety.
As migration increases around the world, social isolation is becoming more common, leading to a decline in the built-in social support system that families provide. It's clear that connecting globalization and mental health oppression is essential, especially as uncontrolled global warming continues to threaten our planet. Mental health is defined as a state of well-being in which people recognize their abilities, are able to cope with the normal stresses of life, work productively and fruitfully, and make a contribution to their communities. In this era of rapid globalization, it's important for mental health professionals, social scientists, and anthropologists to come together and engage in a constructive dialogue aimed at developing an intercultural understanding of how best to meet the mental health needs of people around the world. By recognizing that mental health and culture are interconnected, we can find solutions that work for both individuals and society. In high-income countries, mental health services tend to revolve around psychiatry, which deals with the study and treatment of mental illnesses, emotional disorders, and abnormal behavior.
To address the problems caused or highlighted by globalization, it's necessary to focus on psychiatric training, service delivery, social policy, and increasing the emphasis placed on transcultural psychiatry in mental health curricula. This statement urged all components of the World Psychiatric Association (WPA) to raise public and governmental awareness that improvements in health and well-being must become central objectives of national economic policies and international economic systems; and that mental health is part of public health. Despite the apparent sophistication of laws, policies, services, and treatments for mental illness in high-income countries, outcomes for people with mental health problems may not be better than in low-income countries. Biological psychiatry continues to exert a strong influence on the delivery of mental health services in high-income countries like the United Kingdom and United States. The cost of not acting can be seen in the growing number of people whose lives are affected by mental health problems around the world. By sharing knowledge between low-income countries and high-income countries, we can benefit from each other's experiences.
Low-income countries can learn from hard lessons learned in high-income countries while high-income countries can look at how mental health difficulties are understood and treated from a new perspective. By working together we can create solutions that will help improve mental health outcomes around the world.
