In every home, every school, and every workplace across Antigua and Barbuda, someone is quietly struggling. Sometimes it is the student who cannot focus in class, the employee who suddenly withdraws, or the elderly parent sitting alone, waiting for a visit that never comes.
Today, October 10th, we join the global community in observing World Mental Health Day 2025, under the theme Access to Service: Mental Health in Catastrophes and Emergencies. This year’s theme is especially relevant as our nation continues to face emotional and psychological strain from social pressures, personal hardship, and natural disasters such as the tropical storm now brushing our shores. It reminds us that emotional resilience is just as vital as physical preparedness, and that mental health must remain a national priority.
We must strengthen access to mental health care for all, especially for our young people. Too many of them are fighting unseen struggles, often finding themselves in conflict or acting out of frustration and confusion. Some are both victims and aggressors, silently crying out for understanding. These are not troubled youth to be dismissed, but young minds in need of compassion, guidance, and safe spaces where they can express what they feel.
There are also those who appear composed and successful on the outside yet suffer quietly in private. They must know that seeking help is not weakness but courage. Sometimes all a person needs is a kind word, a listening ear, or a place to be heard without judgment. We must continue building community programs, counseling sessions, and group support that remind people they are never alone in their experiences.
In my work within St. John’s Rural South, I have met young people who are not angry but hurting, and seniors who are not distant but forgotten. Each one reminds me that mental wellness begins when someone chooses to care.
It is encouraging to see more open conversations about mental health across Antigua and Barbuda. The old stigma once tied to mental illness is slowly giving way to empathy and understanding. We now recognize that mental health affects everyone in some form, and that early intervention through counseling, support, or simple awareness, can prevent greater pain later on.
Every school, workplace, and community organization must actively promote mental wellness. Teachers, employers, and parents should learn to recognize signs of distress and respond with compassion. Parents especially must pay attention to their children’s emotional world. Many young people compare themselves to unrealistic portrayals on social media and measure their worth by what they see online. They need reassurance that perfection does not exist, and that effort, honesty, and kindness are what truly matter. Let us speak words that build, not break.
Our seniors, too, deserve our attention. Many face depression caused by loneliness or neglect. Others struggle to keep up with the fast-changing pace of modern life and feel left behind. We can bridge this gap by creating programs that bring youth and seniors together, encouraging learning, empathy, and shared purpose. When generations support one another, both grow stronger.
Mental illness can touch anyone, at any age, in any circumstance. Whether brought on by trauma, social pressure, or natural disaster, it must be met with care, not condemnation. Let us invest in training for school counselors, strengthen community mental health programs, and ensure that every clinic or health center has someone equipped to listen. Let us make it as easy to ask for help as it is to ask for directions.
On this World Mental Health Day, let us commit ourselves to building a culture where help is accessible, voices are heard, and no one feels isolated. To build a strong nation, we must build strong minds. Mental health is not an individual issue, it is a shared responsibility.
Together, we can create a society of understanding, healing, and hope.
Jermaine N. Edwards
Community Advocate for St. John’s Rural South
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