Prince Harry, Ed Sheeran Team Up To Promote World Mental Health Day

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- Thursday is World Mental Health Day, a day devoted to raising awareness and reducing the stigma surrounding mental illnesses, including depression and anxiety disorders. More than 450 million people suffer from mental disorders around the world.

For Mental Health Day, a royal and a music superstar teamed up to increase awareness.

Scientists have found children who are bullied face an increased risk for depression as adults.

This research that covered 3,500 children and young adults found the risk is much higher for children who also had a genetic risk for depression and a mother with postpartum depression.

"Depression is a disease that has multi-factorial avenues," says Dr. Tatiana Falcone, of the Cleveland Clinic. "There are not only genetic factors, but also developmental factors, genetic factors and environmental factors that impact the development of depression."

The focus of this year's Mental Health Day is suicide prevention. Close to 800,000 people worldwide die due to suicide every year.

Doctors say people who attempt suicide and survive often express regret almost immediately so it's important to intervene.

Michael C. Bryan lost his mother to suicide and has also tried to take his own life.

"That shame component to suicide, that shame component to depression -- that feeling is dreadful," he says.

Now he helps others in crisis.

Also helping to promote World Mental Health Day are Prince Harry and Ed Sheeran.

"Reach out, make sure your friends, strangers, look out for anybody who might be suffering in silence. We're all in this together. Thanks for watching," Prince Harry said in an Instagram post.

That appearance started with the red-heads joking about gingers uniting, but then they quickly pivoted to the serious topic.

Prince Harry has talked about his own struggle following the death of his mother, Princess Diana.

Mental health awareness has been an important cause for Harry and his brother, Prince William.

For more information on World Mental Health Day, click here.