Every year on October 10, World Mental Health Day is observed as a reminder that there is no health without mental health. Mental health is the foundation of our ability to cope with life's stresses, realize our full potential, think, feel, and connect with others, and contribute to our community. It also encompasses our emotional, psychological, and social well-being and affects our daily lives, from how we handle stress to how we relate to people and make choices.

World Mental Health Day Theme 2025

This year's theme for World Mental Health Day is "Access to Services: Mental Health in Catastrophes and Emergencies". The theme emphasizes the need to ensure that mental health and psychosocial support is provided even during conflicts, disaster, climate change, and other emergencies.

The reason why this theme is important is because it raises awareness about humanitarian needs, focuses on the neglected aspects of crises, and focuses on universal needs.

Origin of World Mental Health Day 2025

The World Mental Health Day for the first time was observed in 1992, at the initiative of the World Federation of Mental Health, a global mental health organization. It was led by Deputy Secretary General Richard Hunter, when the first day aimed to raise awareness, reduce stigma, and advocate for the integration of mental health into public policy.

In 1994, the day began to have a specific theme, starting with "Improving the Quality of Mental Health Services throughout the World," a concept suggested by WFMH Secretary General Eugene Brody. Since then, the WFMH, along with partners like the World Health Organization (WHO), continues to designate a theme each year to focus global efforts on mental health advocacy and support.

What Is The Significance Of Mental Health Day?

Mental health and psychosocial support are essential. During crises. Nearly everyone experiences distress and social disruption. This is also because in such scenarios, homes are lost, families are separated, and communities become fractured. While 1 in 5 people may have a mental health condition, nearly everyone affected experiences emotional distress and disrupted community lies.

These impacts often remain long after physical safety is restored, undermining recovery and resilience. People with significant mental health conditions must not be left without care and support.

The WHO also notes that migrants and refugees face multiple stressors throughout their lives. these include conflict and displacement to dangerous journeys and integration challenges in host countries. By the end of 2024, notes WHO, over 123 million people were forcibly displaced worldwide. 71% of them are hosted in low-and middle-income countries, where healthcare systems are already under strain. In such setting, access to mental health becomes extremely limited, and important.

The Supreme Court on Thursday ruled that the age limits under the Surrogacy (Regulation) Act of 2021 would not apply to couples who had already frozen their embryos before the Act came into force on January 25, 2022, according to a LiveLaw report.

The court heard petitions from three couples challenging the law’s age restrictions, 23 to 50 years for women and 26 to 55 years for men arguing that these limits should not apply to them since they had preserved their gametes long before the Act became effective.

What Does The Current Surrogacy Law State?

India’s current surrogacy law allows only altruistic surrogacy while banning commercial arrangements. In simple words, altruistic surrogacy involves no monetary payment to the surrogate. Typically, the surrogate is a close family member or friend of the intended parents.

Under the law, Indian married couples, as well as NRIs and OCI cardholders, can opt for surrogacy if they are medically infertile and meet the age and marriage criteria.

Key provisions include:

• Only altruistic surrogacy is permitted.
• Commercial surrogacy is completely banned.
• Eligible couples include Indian, NRI, and OCI married couples.
• Couples must be infertile and married for at least five years.
• Single parents, foreigners, and LGBTQ+ couples are not allowed.
• Surrogates must be a close relative, aged 25–35, and married.
• Surrogates must have at least one biological child.
• Mandatory medical and psychological screening is required.
• Health insurance coverage is required for 36 months after delivery.
• All procedures are overseen by a District Medical Board.

Age Bar Won’t Affect Couples Who Began Process Before 2021 Surrogacy Act

The petitions were filed through infertility specialist Arun Muthuvel, challenging the age-related amendments in the 2021 law. A bench comprising Justices B.V. Nagarathna and K.V. Viswanathan accepted the plea, stating:

“If the couple had commenced the surrogacy process before January 25, 2022, and were at the stage of embryo freezing after extraction and before transfer to the surrogate, the age restriction under Section 4(iii)(c)(1) of the Act will not apply in these cases,” as per Live Law.

The court added that, although only three couples had approached it, other couples in similar situations could also approach high courts to seek the benefits of this ruling. The court clarified that the judgment does not question the validity of the age bar or the law itself.

Before the 2021 law, there were no age restrictions, and these couples were within the legally acceptable age range. Having frozen their embryos years earlier, they would have otherwise been unable to proceed with surrogacy due to the new age limits.

The Union government opposed the petitions, arguing that age limits protect the welfare of the child, since older parents may not be able to meet the child’s needs. It maintained that the protection should apply only when the embryo is implanted in the surrogate, not at the embryo freezing stage.

The court rejected this argument, noting that the decision to have a child is a personal choice of the couple and involves no third party. “The surrogacy process is considered to have commenced once the couple extracts gametes and freezes the embryo. At this stage, the couple has already expressed their intent to pursue surrogacy, the only remaining step is the involvement of the surrogate mother,” the bench explained.

Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. recently made a public statement, claiming there might be a connection between early circumcision and an increased risk of autism.

He believes this link is due to the common practice of giving infants Tylenol, also known as acetaminophen, for pain relief after the surgical procedure. Speaking to President Trump during a cabinet meeting, Kennedy cited studies suggesting that "children who are circumcised early have double the rate of autism," and he believes this is "highly likely, because they were given Tylenol." This is a significant claim from a top health official, directly questioning standard medical practices.

Also Read: Tramadol, Common Painkiller Found Ineffective For Chronic Pain, May Trigger THIS Serious Health Risk

Can Circumcision Cause Autism?

While RFK Jr did not specify what study made this link, a similar 2015 study has been highlighted by media reports, which could be the study that is being referenced. Published in the Journal of the Royal Society Medicine, 2015, this study from Denmark tracked over 340,000 young boys and found that males who were circumcised were more likely to be diagnosed with autism before they turned 10 compared to those who were not.

The researchers proposed that the pain and stress of the surgery early in life could potentially increase the risk for later problems with brain and psychological development.

However, this study was criticized for the result it came to, with experts refuting the case.

Are Their Studies That Refute ‘Circumcision And Autism’ Link?

Published in the same journal, a 2015 review questioned the validity of the results. They found a very slight, statistically shaky link for ASD in boys aged 0–4. This link was only seen in a small group of 28 Muslim boys who were circumcised before age 2. Due to the statistics, this link really only applied to about 10 boys in the entire study. Among non-Muslim boys aged 0-4 who were circumcised, they noted only six ASD diagnoses.

Furthermore, the data about Muslim boys with ASD seemed wrong. Of the 337 Muslim boys with ASD in the study, the records suggested that only 10.9% were circumcised, with the rest being uncircumcised. Critics say this number is highly unlikely to be accurate and makes the overall findings untrustworthy.

Another explanation for the finding is that boys who are circumcised have more visits with healthcare workers, which could simply mean autism is detected more often in this group, not that the procedure caused it.

Why Only Look at Circumcision Pain?

The authors of the Denmark study suggested that the link to autism was due to the pain of the circumcision procedure. Yet, critics point out a major flaw: if pain is the cause, why didn't the researchers look at other common, painful conditions?

For example, urinary tract infections (UTIs) cause severe pain and are much more common in uncircumcised infants and boys. If the researchers' "pain hypothesis" were correct, then UTIs, and therefore being uncircumcised, should have been linked to a higher rate of ASD. Since they didn't examine this, their focus on circumcision pain is incomplete.

The review concluded that the most likely explanation is that both an early ASD diagnosis and the decision to have an early circumcision are more likely to reflect parental conscientiousness—meaning parents who are more proactive, attentive, and engaged in their child's health and development may seek both the procedure and early developmental screenings.

Why Was Autism Linked To Circumcision Through Tylenol?

This claim has come after the recent announcement by the Trump administration. Announcements were made claiming that Tylenol (known as paracetamol in Australia and other countries) is linked to autism in babies when taken by pregnant women. He strongly suggested that women should "fight like hell" to avoid taking the medication.

Trump told women that continuing to take the medicine means "you can't tough it out," but ultimately it's "up to you and your doctor." His firm advice was clear: "don't take Tylenol. Don't take it. Fight like hell not to take it."

Trump's statements have sparked a strong disagreement among medical professionals. Health experts have stated that the alleged link between Tylenol use during pregnancy and autism is not supported by scientific evidence.

With Nebraska reporting its first case of highly pathogenic avian influenza (H5N1) in dairy cattle last month, officials in three Midwestern states have now confirmed new outbreaks of H5N1 in poultry on commercial farms. While not the first for these states, the latest detections highlight the ongoing presence of the virus. In Iowa, this marks the state’s eighth outbreak in domestic birds this year, and Minnesota has reported eight poultry outbreaks since mid-September.

H5N1 Strikes Poultry Farms Across US

The Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship (IDALS) and the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) confirmed the latest H5N1 case on October 2. Officials discovered the virus in a commercial turkey flock in west-central Iowa. Iowa’s previous poultry outbreak was recorded in April.

Minnesota reported two outbreaks on September 28 at commercial breeder poultry farms in Becker and Otter Tail Counties, which are adjacent to one another in the state’s west-central region. Together, the two farms house over 36,000 birds, according to the University of Minnesota.

Wisconsin followed with another confirmation on October 1 of H5N1 in a commercial flock in Jefferson County, located between Madison and Milwaukee. The Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection (DATCP) issued guidance urging all livestock owners to strengthen biosecurity measures to prevent the virus from spreading to their animals.

What Is H5N1?

H5N1 is a highly pathogenic strain of avian influenza, commonly called bird flu, which primarily infects birds but can also spread to humans and other mammals through close contact with infected animals or contaminated environments. While human-to-human transmission is uncommon, the infection can be severe and has a high mortality rate. The virus has spread worldwide among wild birds and poultry and has recently been detected in mammals, including dairy cows. Health authorities recommend avoiding raw milk and taking protective measures when handling animals, according to the World Health Organization.

Can H5N1 Affect Humans?

Yes, H5N1 can infect humans, causing symptoms such as eye irritation, respiratory problems, and gastrointestinal issues. Although transmission between humans is rare, those who have direct contact with infected birds, mammals like dairy cows, or contaminated environments are at higher risk, per WHO guidelines.

How Humans Get Infected

• Contact with infected animals: Handling sick or deceased poultry, wild birds, or dairy cows can lead to infection.
• Contaminated surfaces: Touching surfaces contaminated with virus-containing fluids from infected birds or animals and then touching your eyes, nose, or mouth.
• Contaminated food: Consuming raw milk from infected cows or other foods contaminated with the live virus.

Is Bird Flu Contagious?

Bird flu rarely spreads from person to person. While a few cases of human-to-human transmission have been documented, none occurred in the U.S. Nearly all human infections so far have resulted from direct contact with infected animals. Still, any human infection carries a risk that the virus could mutate and spread more easily between people.