World Mental Health Day 2018

At least half of all mental health disorders appear by the age of 14 and about 75% by age 24 as stated by the World Mental Health Day report. Adolescence and the early years of adulthood are exciting times, but can also be times of challenges and stressors. Bullying, academic pressure, the effects of trauma, and gender identity discrimination can lead to major mental illnesses such as depression, anxiety, and suicide. The use of technologies such as social media and other online networks can bring additional pressures as youth are exposed to cyberbullying and other forms of online harassment.

World Federation for Mental Health (WFMH) has decided to focus this year’s information and awareness-raising efforts on adolescent mental health in an attempt to create healthy futures for our young people. Prevention, early detection, and intervention are key factors in reducing the personal, social, and economic tolls that mental illnesses take on young people.

We take this opportunity to showcase relevant projects we support and to praise our partners’ efforts in safeguarding and improving the mental health of young people:

Fondazione di Liegro will focus its yearly mental health course on “Adolescence and mental health: prevention and new challenges” highlighting the worrying addiction of social media.

Fundatia Inocenti  will organize the seminar “Antecedents and outcomes of perfectionism in adolescence” in collaboration with the Faculty of Psychology in Cluj. The faculty’s hallways will be exhibiting artwork by young patients from the Clinic of Pediatric Psychiatry and Toxicology Cluj-Napoca.

Please helps us raise awareness about the mental health issues facing our youth! You can find more information about WFMH World Mental Health day 2018 here.