If we say, ‘What Mental Health needs is more sunlight, more candor, and more unashamed conversation’, you would say, oh! I know this… Well, do you implement the same? No, right?

Now, a shocking statistic – Mental health and substance use disorders affect 13% of the world’s population. So, should we take it seriously? Certainly Yes!

The World Health Organization (WHO) defines mental health as a “state of well-being in which the individual realises his or her own abilities, can cope with the normal stresses of life, can work productively and fruitfully, and is able to make a contribution to his or her community.”

If we try to understand it more deeply, psychological wellbeing (PWB) is also an important part of mental health. PWB refers to the level of psychological happiness/health, encompassing life satisfaction, and feelings of accomplishment.

Do you know when it comes to mental health, location also plays a significant role? Recent research conducted by William Russell examines work-life balance, government spending on healthcare, weather conditions and other factors to determine the countries that promote psychological wellbeing. According to the ranking, we present you the top 10 countries where you can think of travelling:

RANK	COUNTRY	RANK SCORE	AVG TEMP (°C)	GOVERNMENT MENTAL HEALTH SPEND
1	Sweden	7.13	2.1	9.00%
2	Germany	6.60	8.5	11.30%
3	Finland	6.47	1.7	5.6%
4	France	6.40	10.7	15.00%
5	The Netherlands	6.27	9.3	7.1%
6	Italy	6.07	13.5	3.5%
7	Canada	5.80	-5.4	10.6%
8	Norway	5.73	1.5	13.5%
9	Slovenia	5.53	8.9	5.8%
10	Australia	5.47	21.7	7.8%

SWEDEN

Continent: Europe

Capital: Stockholm

Population: 10,452,326 people, 0.13 per cent of the world’s population

Places to Visit: Stockholm, Gothenburg, Abisko, Are, Halmstad, Helsingborg, and many more.

Best Time To Visit: May to September

Sweden tops in the list of countries with the best mental health in the world. It also scored high in terms of work-life balance. The country is quite famous for its abundant forests and lakes.

Sweden is not just famous for its natural phenomena like the Northern Lights (a natural light display that is frequent during the winter months in northern Sweden) or the midnight sun (when the sun never sets in the summer) but what makes this country stand out is its desire to change the world for the better. Its contribution towards sustainability, social welfare, and successful accomplishments in reducing waste positions it at the top.

GERMANY

Continent: Europe

Capital: Berlin

Population: 84,342,015 people

Places to Visit: Berlin, Munich, Frankfurt, Koblenz & the Rhine Valley, Baden-Baden, and many more.

Best Time To Visit: May to September

Best Countries to Travel for Mental Peace| Germany — Credit: PlanetWare

Europe’s economic powerhouse stands at the second position in the positive mental wellbeing index. The country is coming in the forefront and establishing ways to determine and treat mental illness in citizens. Diagnosed patients in Germany have access to financial support and extensive healthcare services. The country runs different programs to ease the transition from a mental health hospital back to everyday life.

What differentiates Germany from the rest of Europe is its commitment to dedicating extensive amounts of resources to create outreach campaigns that promote actively visiting psychologists and testing for mental illness.

FINLAND

Continent: Europe

Capital: Helsinki

Population: 5,558,625 people

Places to Visit: Suomenlinna Fortress, Rovaniemi and the Arctic, Helsinki Churches, Åland Archipelago, and a lot more places

Best Time To Visit: June to August

According to World Happiness Report 2022, Finland is the happiest country in the world. It is also praised around the globe for its low inequality, successful education system, high living standards, and high employment rate. The government of Finland had also started to raise awareness about mental health and improve public dialogue by training community members to break down prejudices.

Suicide Prevention Programs are being implemented specifically for high-risk groups, including the LGBTQ+ community, those living in poverty, indigenous people, asylum seekers, etc.

FRANCE

Continent: Europe

Capital: Paris

Population: 65,573,982 people

Places to Visit: Paris & Versailles, The Charming Countryside of Provence, The Côte d’Azur, Mont Saint-Michel in Normandy, and many more

Best Time To Visit: April to June & September to November

As per recent studies, around one in five French people suffer from mental health issues. However, the country has the highest level of healthcare spending. Medical Psychological Centers in France are providing mostly free services covered by state health insurance.

The country also has a good healthcare system for children School nurses in Finland have the authority to refer students to the nearest centre médico-psychologique (CMP) attached to a hospital. There are also centres médico-psycho-pédagogique (CMPP), run by associations which offer free care for children experiencing difficulties.

THE NETHERLANDS

Continent: Europe

Capital: Amsterdam

Population: 17,213,640 people

Places to Visit: Amsterdam, The Hague, Eindhoven, Groningen, Middelburg, Middelburg, and other places

Best Time To Visit: June, September to November

More than 4 out of 10 people in the Netherlands suffer mental health issues. Thanks to the reputable healthcare system of the company that helps them go back to everyday life. The Government of the Netherlands has set up a system of frontline support by GPs, and primary and secondary mental health care.

ITALY

Continent: Europe

Capital: Rome

Population: 60,276,425 people

Places to Visit: Rome, Florence, France, Lake Como, Amalfi Coast, Tuscan Hill Towns

Best Time To Visit: March to May & September to November

Italy takes the top spot for hours devoted to leisure. Despite the country’s high unemployment, family and personal interests continue to play an important role in Italy. A considerable difference is seen in the working hours of the private and public sectors, however, employees typically work for 36 hours a week.

Also, it has the most UNESCO world heritage sites in the world, a few of them are the Colosseum in Rome, the city of Pompeii, and the glorious Amalfi Coast. If that’s not enough, let us tell you that there are over 1,500 lakes in Italy which are surrounded by the snowy Alps and golden beaches.

CANADA

Continent: North America

Capital: Ottawa

Population: 38,430,718 people

Places to Visit: Jasper National Park, Vancouver, Quebec City, Niagara Falls, Prince Edward Island

Best Time To Visit: September to November

Best Countries to Travel for Mental Peace | Canada — Credit: PlanetWare

Among the 10 best countries with the best mental healthcare, Canada has the lowest annual temperature of –5.4°C. If you love travelling to a peaceful place, consider Canada which is a peaceful nation due to the consistent devaluation of internal conflict and violence, resulting in the promotion of unity and harmony amongst its citizens.

Furthermore, the country has seen remarkable growth in immigration into the country in recent times. Every Canadian citizen embraces the diversity it brings to their society.

NORWAY

Continent: Europe

Capital: Oslo

Population: 5,509,445 people

Places to Visit: The Oslo region, Tromsø and the land of the northern lights, Lofoten and Nordland, Oslo, Bergen and much more

Best Time To Visit: June to August

Best Countries to Travel | Norway — Credit: Travel Melodies

As per the ranking, Norway sits at the eighth position due to a number of factors, one of the prominent ones being mental health expenditure towards improving community services.

If you plan to visit one of the world’s happiest countries in the world, you will find everything there, from the west coast fjords to snow-dusted mountains. If you prefer to travel in summer, you can enjoy the benefits of the midnight sun. Its seafood is mouthwatering and fresh.

SLOVENIA

Continent: Europe

Capital: Ljubljana

Population: 2,079,534 people

Places to Visit: Maribor, Koper, Kranjska Gora, Celje, Ptuj, Piran, Postojna, and more

Best Time To Visit: June to August

Best Countries to Travel | Slovenia — Credits: GoVisity

Known as a sustainable country in the heart of Europe, Slovenia is a perfect place for you if you love to explore forests, parks, and riverbanks. But if you are thinking that Slovenia is chock full of trees, then make some mental room for a whole lot of water as well.

AUSTRALIA

Continent: Australia

Capital: Canberra

Population: 26,116,356 people

Places to Visit: Sydney Opera House, New South Wales, Great Barrier Reef, Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park, and others.

Best Time To Visit: September to November & March to May

Epic wildlife, unforgettable landscapes, and dining experiences await you in Australia. The country is a melting pot of cultures which gives the advantage of experiencing a multicultural society offering some excellent culinary offerings. With beautiful beaches, gorgeous restaurants, and world-class cities, Australia is a perfect destination for mental peace.

Source: The statistical data used in the report has been taken from William Russell, the expat insurance provider headquartered in Lightwater, Surrey.