On account of World Mental Health Day today, many celebrities took to social media to talk about their struggles and raise awareness about mental well-being. One famous name is captain of Pakistan’s Women Football team, Hajra Khan.
People won’t expect that a woman of her strength and caliber may have faced mental health issues, but the star athlete shared her story today to break the stereotypes around it.
“Mental health is not a personal failure, it’s nothing to be ashamed of,†she said in a video posted on Twitter. Hajra revealed how she also used to be ashamed of having mental health issues, but three years ago she decided to seek help because she didn’t want to lose her life to suicide. In view of World Mental Health Day, Hajra encouraged people to lift the silence and seek help.
“It’s okay to feel alone, it’s okay to disassociate and it’s okay to not be okay,†she added.
World Mental Health Day is held every year on 10th October to fight stigma surrounding mental health and promote understanding. Every year World Federation of Mental Health chooses a theme to focus on. This year’s theme is suicide prevention as around 800,000 people lose their lives to suicide each year.
The Duke of Sussex, Prince Harry, and English musician, Ed Sheeran, have also teamed up this year to spread awareness regarding mental health. The duo has released a video on Instagram, via Sussex’s official account, in which they ask people to share how they are feeling. The post was captioned, “It’s World Mental Health Day! There is no need to suffer in silence, share how you’re feeling, ask how someone is doing and listen for the answer. Be willing to ask for help when you need it and know that we are all in this together.â€
