The seventy-third session of the World Health Organization (WHO) Regional Committee for the Western Pacific will discuss major health issues in the Region, including reaching the unreached, mental health, primary health care, cervical cancer and noncommunicable diseases (NCDs). This story is part of a series examining how each health topic affects people in the Region.
Romy Lee is uniquely qualified to help others overcome mental health struggles.
As a lived experience advisor in New Zealand, Ms Lee draws on her personal recovery to support others.
She recalled one of the more distressing moments of her life when as a teenager she arrived home after school one day and was confronted by her mother.
“Someone had told her that I was gay. And with the cultural background that we come from, that wasn’t ok,” she said.
“I felt like I could never share my true self, and I felt like no one would ever love me. Even though I had people around me, I felt alone and my mental health declined. Alcohol and drugs started to play a bigger role,” she added.
Ms Lee found support and drew strength from her background, including her Korean heritage and the Māori culture of New Zealand.
“In my journey of recovery, I’ve been very fortunate in that I have had some mentors who have helped me and taught me what wellness and recovery looks like in te ao Māori, the Māori world. When I think about this in context of my Korean culture and my Korean heritage, I feel that strength, and I feel stronger and more capable.”
Today, Ms Lee supports other young people going through difficult times. She advocates a broader appreciation of mental health and well-being, beyond providing treatment and other clinical services. Her organization takes a more holistic approach, including helping clients find work and ensuring workplaces are safe, inclusive and mental health promoting.
“Improving mental health isn’t just about accessing services. It’s about all the things that happen outside of appointments or outside of the different services that you go to. It’s about what life feels like at home, at school.”
Her life lessons now enrich her work with young people struggling with mental health issues and addiction.
“I get to use that in my work every day. If I can help bring some positivity into someone’s life, and I can show them that they matter, then I know that I am doing a good job,” she said.Watch Romy Lee talk about her journey of recovery from mental health problems.
New Zealand is part of the WHO Western Pacific Region. More than 215 million people live with a mental health condition in the Region. Yet, current approaches to mental health are leaving too many individuals, families and communities behind without access to care and support.
The COVID-19 pandemic has profoundly affected mental health and well-being, worsening existing challenges while exposing many people to prolonged stress and adversity. The number of people suffering from common mental disorders, such as anxiety and depression, has increased by more than 25% since the first year of the pandemic. It has been especially difficult for young people and women.
In 2022, the Regional Committee will discuss the Regional Framework for the Future of Mental Health in the Western Pacific 2023–2030. The Framework aims to promote the highest level of mental health and well-being for all people in the Region. It calls on Member States, partners and stakeholders to refocus the mental health agenda to include well-being, transform mental health care and support, and embed mental health into communities and everyday life.
Guided by this Framework, WHO is committed to advancing the mental health agenda in the Region and work collaboratively with partners – including mental health experts, WHO collaborating centres and other stakeholders – to support Member States in achieving this bold new vision for the future.