Mental health: the challenge of society

This article was exclusively written for The European Sting by Ms. Julia Maria Orsini Zava, 21 years old, 3rd year in medical school, academic from Ingá University Center, member of the International Federation of Medical Student Associations of Brazil. She is affiliated to the International Federation of Medical Students Associations (IFMSA), cordial partner of The Sting. The opinions expressed in this piece belong strictly to the writer and do not necessarily reflect IFMSA’s view on the topic, nor The European Sting’s one.

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Suicide: a complex process already explored by various professional areas, the great approach of the subject would be beneficial to the world population, if there were no misinterpretations, unworthiness, indifference, and even worse, romanticization. Mental health is a hotly debated topic worldwide, having taken frightening proportions in recent years due to the rise in cases of the so-called “21st century disease”, the dreaded depression. The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that 9.5% of women and 5.8% of men will experience at least one depressive episode within 12 months over the next twenty years, showing an upward trend (World Health Organization – WHO, 2001). In this growing, the debate about mental health and suicide prevention becomes a challenge. The WHO, in 1999, published a series of booklets that are part of Suicide Prevention (SUPRE), which is described on the best way to combat succession, which would be by involvement in a full range of activities, ranging from providing the best possible conditions for bringing our children and young people together through effective treatment of mental disorders to environmental control of risk factors; also citing as increasing elements the perception and dissemination of appropriate information. The perception of the disease, the psychological exhaustion, the problem of each human being, the real humanization, together with the dissemination of information on the subject, are the formula for a way of improvement, where the main idea is to form a welcoming environment for the human being. young, where he feels accepted and understood, and ready to accept himself. After that, the psychological accompaniment of each one becomes easier, what this young person needs is support, it is a way to go where he can feel comfortable and safe again to find the reason for living. Prejudice and indifference wear and, unfortunately, kill. Given this, the perfect reflection for the analysis of the present society and the way we deal with it, is made by excerpts like this “There were many crises in the history of mankind, many periods of interregnum, in which people did not know what to do, but they have always found a way. My only concern is how long it will take to find the way now. How many people will become victims until the solution is found? ” (Zygmunt Bauman). Every day we must become more aware of the needs of others, look around, help and seek help, no one is alone, not even in the liquid society. References SUICIDE PREVENTION: A MANUAL FOR PRIMARY HEALTH PROFESSIONALS. World Health Organization. 1999. SOARES, G.B.; CAPONI, S. Depression in focus: a study of the media discourse in the process of medicalization of life. Interface – Comunic., Saude, Educ., v.15, n.37, p.437-46, abr./jun. 2011. About the author Julia Maria Orsini Zava, 21 years old, 3rd year in medical school, academic from Ingá University Center, member of the International Federation of Medical Student Associations of Brazil. In this article, she intends to show all of her concern about the mental health of young people, and also wants to open society’s indifference to this problem.