October 10 is World Mental Health Day, born to promote awareness and defense of mental health against social stigma. An anniversary that the Parma Local Health Authority has been celebrating for 12 years with the review “The Health of Mental Health”, a rich calendar of meetings that this year has the theme “A / Essences” as its main theme.
Mental disorders affect 15-20% of the general population each year, a figure which is also representative of the local situation. Stigma and discrimination continue to be strong barriers to inclusion and access to adequate care.
“Mental health concerns the entire life span of the person, and depends on the presence of the other – says Pietro Pellegrini, director of the Integrated Mental Health-Pathological Addictions Department of the Parma Local Health Authority – Mental health is not a spontaneous product : it is linked to a multiplicity of biological, relational, educational, psychological and social factors in mutual interaction. Isolation and loneliness are other relevant factors that can affect health ”.
The message of the day is that mental disorders can be cured and people can be cured. Science shows that mental health, suffering and ailment are not fixed conditions, but coexisting states that change over the course of life.
“This is a reason for hope – underlines Pellegrini – change is possible if we mutually take care of each other with kindness, with a smile, if abandonment and isolation are prevented, if different conflicts are resolved with patience and tolerance. “.
THE REVIEW “THE HEALTH OF MENTAL HEALTH”
Starting from these aspects, with the theme “A / Essences”, the 2022 review proposes 17 meetings, from October to December.
The particularly critical period we are experiencing, marked by pandemics, war, economic and social crisis, raises questions about what is truly essential in our human experience. We need to give meaning to essential words whose value is discovered in absence: rights, freedom, peace, health, food, education and culture, work, home. It is necessary to rediscover how welcome, kindness, delicacy, lightness, dialogue, spirituality and hope are fundamental to never losing the human condition.
The first appointment is on 6 October starting at 2.30 pm, with the seminar “The essential world of affections. Evil in adolescence ”, curated by Franco Marzullo and Antonella Squarcia with Angelo Moroni and Enrico Zunino.
The complete program of the exhibition is available on the website www.ausl.pr.it. All the meetings are online on the Zoom platform, the link is communicated to the members. For information phone: 0521.396627.
STIGMA, WALL TO BE TAKEN: THE DATA OF THE NATIONAL STUDY
National mental health research carried out by BVA DOXA for the RO.MENS Mental Health Festival organized by the Department of Mental Health (DSM) of ASL Rome 2 (September 2022) shows that 65% of the population considers people with mental disorders “Dangerous for themselves”, almost half 48% “also dangerous for others”, 55% with the possibility of easily becoming aggressive and violent, 49% disrespectful of shared social rules, unable to work with a 46% have a good level of autonomy and 21% live in society.
“A negative picture not supported by statistical scientific evidence, which represents a serious obstacle towards therapeutic-rehabilitation and social inclusion paths, from the search for housing and work to emotional and relational relationships” – comments Pellegrini.
There are also positive elements: 80% of the population says they have had the opportunity to relate to people who have mental disorders. Direct knowledge causes 70% to consider people with intelligent mental disorders and with the same aspirations, desires, goals as anyone else 74%.
Furthermore, 81% believe that people with mental disorders should not be isolated from others and 73% think that they would not live better in isolated care places and that 79% can be together with the community. Hence the majority of the population does not believe that people with mental disorders should be excluded from society.
The fear of stigma persists, because there is a difficulty in sharing with others a possible mental disorder from which one suffers: 78% prefer to talk about it only in the family, but not with friends and acquaintances. 22% would be ashamed to talk about it and would prefer not to talk about it to anyone for fear of being labeled.
Finally, regarding trust in care, 66% of respondents believe that mental illness can be cured, but 34% have no hope. “A fairly positive data – concludes the Director – but the confidence in mental health treatments should be greater given the availability of effective psychotropic drugs and psychotherapies, as well as social rehabilitation programs with a satisfactory quality of life”.
World Mental Health Day: the USL Company celebrates it with the review “A / Essenze”