In Italy one in five people suffers from a mental disorder: despite this, only one in three receives adequate healthcare treatment. As if that were not enough, our country is positioned above the European average with regards to these figures and only in recent years have measures been adopted at an institutional level to address the mental health crisis, such as the psychologist bonus. An important tool which, however, cannot be sufficient either in method – with the logic of sporadic aid that covers a few sessions at most – or in substance, with limited amounts and a very limited audience of beneficiaries. As we explained, in 2022 – currently the only year of disbursement before the current campaign – they were forwarded approximately 395 thousand requests but only a few thousand Italians took advantage of it 41,600.
The teenagers, as we have seen on many occasions, are the segment of the population that has most suffered from the effects of the pandemic and the critical events of recent years. According to the report Headway – Mental Health Index 2.0 realized by The European House – Ambrosetti 28% of them suffer from anxiety, 23% from depression, 5% from loneliness, to which stress and fear are added in the same percentages. The onset of depressive and anxious states is also linked to a decrease in academic performance and often leads young people to drop out of school: in fact, at least 50% of mental health disorders appear before the age of 15, 80% before of 18, becoming in some cases a constant problem throughout the person's life.
The complaint-appeal of the psychiatrists
In short, the picture is difficult. Both due to its size and the lack of an adequate health response. A response which, even when it exists, is also forced to deal with a system that does not protect her. A few days ago, not surprisingly, 456 psychiatrists from all over Italy sent a complaint-appeal to the President of the Republic, who was joined by a few dozen other professionals in the mental health sector. «A spontaneous initiative – explained Enrico Di Croce on Daily Healthcare – born in the national chats established a year ago, in the emotional wake of the assassination of the Pisan psychiatrist Barbara Capovani”. In fact, a year later, nothing has changed in the daily lives of operators and patients of local and hospital psychiatric services. Thus hundreds of doctors and professionals in the sector have publicly expressed their discomfort. And «the recent celebrations for the centenary of the birth of Franco Basaglia make the contradiction even more evident. Not only has the epochal reform that abolished mental hospitals half a century ago not been completed, but in recent years we have been witnessing a dramatic regression».
Spending on mental health, Italy at the bottom of the European ranking
The problem does not only concern Italy. Estimates of the direct and indirect costs of not addressing the issue in a structured way (over 600 billion euros, equal to 4% of the total EU GDP), however, have pushed many countries to take steps to try to catch up: 45% have already implemented work-related mental health prevention and promotion programs while 68% have launched a national strategy or plan for the promotion and prevention of mental health for children and adolescents. One fact, the one about outpatient facilities dedicated to mental healthreflects this commitment: they have passed from 3.9 to 9.1 per thousand inhabitants at European level, with the natural disparities. Italy dedicates to mental health just 3% of global healthcare spending, ranking ninth in the ranking of the quality of this care.
In addition to the psychologist bonus, a new one took office at the Ministry of Health a year ago Technical table for mental health, made up of industry experts. An organism that has the task of processing a series of guidelines for the improvement of prevention, treatment and rehabilitation paths for the entire population, with particular attention to the most fragile individuals most affected by mental disorders. A bill to establish the figure of the is also being discussed school psychologist at all levelsItaly being the only European country still without it.
“I'm fine, thanks”, a new campaign to raise awareness of mental illnesses
On April 15th at 10.30 am the Minister of Health Orazio Schillaci together with Alberto Siracusano, director of the Clinical Department «Wellbeing of mental and neurological, dental and sensory organ health» of the Tor Vergata Polyclinic will present and inaugurate the project “I am fine thank you” at the headquarters of the Rome Tor Vergata Polyclinic (viale Oxford, 81). From 14th to 21st April in fact theimmersive work of art in the external spaces of the Roman polyclinic: a campaign created with the non-conditioning contribution of Angelini Pharma and with the artistic direction of You&Web. The installation, seen last year at Maxxi, aims to raise public attention on mental disorders and psychological pathologies.
Too often these disorders are in fact kept hidden or minimized, even when they manifest themselves in the mildest forms. For fear of being labeled and stigmatized, those suffering from depression ask “How are you?” they tend to respond “I'm fine, thanks.” Even in this second edition, the heart of the campaign is once again one large black box. Over the course of the week, everyone will be able to explore the large “box” to live a singular sensorial experience: in the four rooms into which it is divided, each different from the others, art will become a metaphor for the daily obstacles of those suffering from depression and mental disorders .
Source: Vanity Fair

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