R.recognized worldwide since 1992, October 10 is celebrated the World Mental Health Day, an opportunity to raise public awareness on the subject. T.main ema of the 2022 edition is “Making mental health and well-being for all a global priority”. But what is meant by mental health? “Understanding and knowing how to manage emotions is not a foregone conclusion, but something that each of us learns, for better or worse, in the context in which we grow up. This is why asking for help at any age is not a sign of weakness but of strength ”he explains Carolina Traverso, psychologist and psychotherapist, mindfulness expert.
World Mental Health Day: the data
But what is the mental situation of the world? According to theWorld Health Organization, one in four people in the world will have a mental health problem in the near future; Specifically, in the European Community, the data show that one in six people, about 84 million citizens, already have a mental health problem.
Therefore, despite the situation, however, the countries of the Eurozone invest only 2% in the problem and worldwide the percentage rises to 4%. A situation, that of the mental health crisis, increased in recent years due to Covid which interrupted about 93% of services and aid with serious consequences, which then added to the forced isolation, mourning and unemployment that the pandemic has caused. Last but not least, the social stigma that mental health, and related problems, carries with it.
«We have to make sure that the mental health problems receive the same attention as health problems physical because it has an impact on every area of our life. Today, everyday life has put us more in contact with our own and others’ frailties, leading us to live with an uncertainty that many of us had never experienced before ”explains Dr. Traverso. For this reason, following a handbook on how to approach the subject could be helpful.
Mental health in ten points
Developed by the psychologist Carolina Traverso, the Decalogue helps not only to understand but above all to know how to manage emotions, an ability that cannot be taken for granted.
The first of the ten points affirms a fundamental concept: mental health matters as much as physical health: “Too often, mental health is taken for granted, if not frankly ignored. Instead, we should take care of it exactly as we do it with our body. As the World Health Organization states: “Health is a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being, and not simply the absence of disease or infirmity” »explains the expert.
But what is mental health? “It is partly hereditary, but it is also influenced by the family context in which we grew up, from traumatic events, from social factors and on a global scale and, finally, from the possible presence of neurological diseases. All of these factors, together, interact with each other and affect mental health. It is not always possible to change them, but we can always try to take care of ourselves as best we can»Explains the expert and for this reason, as specified in the third point, any problems must be taken seriously and deserve due attention, as well as appropriate care in the case.
Knowing how to manage your emotions
It is the foundation of healthy mental health: recognize them, but above all accept them and learn to manage themwhich is never too late as the expert explains in point five of her decalogue, is fundamental. As well as taking care of the emotions themselves: diaries, meditation, mindfulness are all tools through which one puts pen to paper or in any case clarifies one’s emotions, focusing them.
Other factors that are good for mental health? “The regularity of one’s daily lifeGetting enough sleep, eating healthy and nutritious, having time for oneself are all key factors. As is friendship: relationships are strengthened when you share what is important to you, when you care about others and spend special moments together. It is important to dedicate time to those you love and make sure you are there in the important moments. Not to be underestimated is the surrounding of various people, who can not only love but also stimulate ».
Ask for help and be kind
Unfortunately, even in today’s society there is still a lot of stigma in asking for professional help, often you are ashamed to go to a psychologist or psychotherapist, or you don’t say it. Yet “in 2019 theNational Observatory on Health in the Italian Regions described mental distress as “increasingly looming in Italy, especially in the Central South “. The pandemic has only made the situation worse. For this reason, without any prejudice, it is logical to ask a doctor for help if you have a mental health problem »concludes Dr. Traverso.
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