1866 © Aluna Publishing Wiadomości Lekarskie Medical Advances, VOLUME LXXVI, ISSUE 8, AUGUST 2023 INTRODUCTION In 2020, the World Health Organization, together with United for Global Mental Health and the World Feder- ation for Mental Health, encouraged world population to support a global movement calling for greater investment in mental health. The Director-General of the World Health Organization T.A. Ghebreyesus notes that this movement is more important today than it has ever been before: “We need to move for our own mental health, the mental health of our families, friends and colleagues, and more importantly, so that there is a massive increase in investment for mental health ser- vices at national and international levels” [1]. Nowadays, mental and substance use disorders are the leading causes of disability worldwide [2]. Studies conducted in low- and middle-income countries have demonstrat- ed the efectiveness of both psychopharmacological treatment and evidence-based psychotherapy for the treatment of mental disorders [3-8]. Research on eco- nomic efciency of mental health care highlights the economic value of disease prevention [9, 10]. However, the reality is diferent. Despite the validity of the efectiveness of measures to support mental health, there is a huge gap between their real appli- cation and the needs of any given society [11, 12]; and large-scale improvements in mental health are far from desirable. The costs of mental health care include social services, primary, secondary, and tertiary care. Finan- cial resources are needed for treatment facilities, staf, administration, training, supervision, media, etc. Given the enormous burden of mental disorders, the available treatments are not enough to improve the mental PHILOSOPHY AND MENTAL HEALTH DOI: 10.36740/WLek202308122 Tetiana Danylova 1,2 , Anatoliy Vovk 3 , Ihor Hoian 4 , Svitlana Kholodynska 5 , Kateryna Honcharenko 6 , Olena Ishchenko 7 , Anna Bezhnar 7 1 NATIONAL ACADEMY OF EDUCATIONAL SCIENCES OF UKRAINE, KYIV, UKRAINE 2 INSTITUTE OF PHILOSOPHY AND SOCIOLOGY OF THE POLISH ACADEMY OF SCIENCES, WARSAW, POLAND 3 NATIONAL UNIVERSITY OF LIFE AND ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES OF UKRAINE, KYIV, UKRAINE 4 VASYL STEFANYK PRECARPATHIAN NATIONAL UNIVERSITY, IVANO-FRANKIVSK, UKRAINE 5 PRYAZOVSKYI STATE TECHNICAL UNIVERSITY, MARIUPOL, UKRAINE 6 DRAHOMANOV NATIONAL PEDAGOGICAL UNIVERSITY, KYIV, UKRAINE 7 TARAS SHEVCHENKO NATIONAL UNIVERSITY OF KYIV, KYIV, UKRAINE ABSTRACT The aim: The paper aims to examine the relationship between philosophy and mental health. Materials and methods: The authors used integrative anthropological approach, interpretive research paradigm, hermeneutical approach. The data collection was carried out using Scopus, Web of Science, PubMed, Google Scholar databases. Research papers were identifed according to search terms: “mental health”, “philosophy”, “Ancient philosophy”, “Epicureanism”, “Stoicism”, “Eastern philosophy”, “Buddhism”, “Taoism”, “psychology”, “psychotherapy”, “anxiety”, “depression”, “happiness”, “mindfulness”, “meaning in life”. Conclusions: Attempts to cope with life challenges, frustration, fear, anxiety, stress should not be isolated endeavors, but they need to be placed in a wider philosophical context, as far as every issue, including mental health issues, has a philosophical perspective at its core. Such experience can cultivate human strength, self-confdence, awareness, empathy. In times of uncertainty, when we do not know where to go, when we do not understand who we are and what is our purpose on earth, philosophy helps us to fnd our way. In the most difcult times, philosophy acts as a guiding star and consolation reconciling us with what we are unable to change. KEY WORDS: philosophy; mental health; Ancient philosophy; Eastern philosophy; psychology; psychotherapy Wiad Lek. 2023;76(8):1866-1873 VARIA