“WE ASK the government to vary a strategic plan on mental health with targeted interventions, from purely health care ones, to those of strengthening social networks, especially for young people, financed with ad hoc allocations from the health fund and with investments in the regions, where on the other hand, there should be a precise measurement of the interventions made “.
When we contact the Honorable Beatrice Lorenzin, head of the Health Forum of the Democratic Party, is in Parliament engaged in a marathon of hearings that see her as the protagonist of a crusade on which she has been fighting for some time at the fore, that for the protection of citizens’ mental health. This question became even more central and critical with theCovid-19 epidemic, so much so that the former minister warns of the threat of a “new hidden pandemic”, precisely that of mental health risks.
Covid, the other pandemic: the virus has brought 1 million new cases of mental distress
by Valeria Pini
First of all, can you explain to us which legislative initiatives you are promoting at the moment?
“We have just presented an important resolution on child neuropsychiatry in the Social Affairs Committee of the House and we have asked for the scheduling of a motion in Parliament with a whole series of commitments that concern the mental health of the population more generally, ie from the child to the adult. passing through the elderly, women, the most problematic places such as the rems up to the so-called ‘long covid’, or those mental pathologies derived from a long convalescence from the virus “.
Covid: Pandemic stress also consumes teeth
by Tina Simoniello
How do you talk about it, do you seem rather alarmed?
“The risks on mental health represent a gigantic phenomenon, those that were niche problems are becoming mass problems, the suffering that will be generated must meet places for listening and opportunities for treatment. We ask the government and in particular the Minister for Health to work from now on to prepare a series of operational measures that become concrete actions in the state-regions conference, therefore in the territories with an increase in the financing of the national health fund it is an effective strengthening. of the whole network. It is evident that in recent years the issues of psychiatry, psychological assistance, territorial assistance and child neuropsychiatry have not found an adequate response to the growing demand, from the regions due to the lack of funds and personnel on the one hand, but also for a general underestimation of the problem with respect to the organizational needs of chronic diseases which absorb most of the funds. To date, an updated data platform is still missing, so it is very difficult to act with an articulated plan, do research and give answers. There is a shortage of personnel and in the construction of networks, we must increase early diagnoses and strengthen local structures, monitor therapeutic adherence, but in the meantime the explosion in the use of psychotropic drugs is a fact which is always a signal not to be underestimate”.
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Has Covid further deteriorated the situation?
“Exactly and that’s what I’ve been saying for some time. We already had very few facilities, too few compared to the demand even before Covid, now the problem is exponential. And we add, as I said before, the problem linked to the ‘long covid’ or patients who have had a long hospital stay, who need psychological assistance and, in some cases, rehabilitation “.
Covid has (also) taken us away from sleep
by Elisa Manacorda
He is describing an emergency situation….
“We must prepare to fight a second pandemic, a hidden pandemic, that of mental health. Precisely for this reason we cannot think of being able to work with the same weapons we had before ”.
Covid: obsession and fears. Tips for not panicking
by Irma D’Aria
With what weapons?
“First of all, we ask the government for a strategic plan on mental health with targeted interventions, from purely health care ones, to those of strengthening social networks, especially for young people, financed with ad hoc allocations from the health fund and with investments in the regions, where on the other hand there is a precise measurement of the interventions made. Prevention, interception of discomfort and illness, training of not only health care personnel, but also schools and care networks. In this way we can work in the medium term, prevent the chronicization of situations that are now still predictable. anxiety, depression, addictions are already statistically on the rise “.
Aggressive and unruly children: how to prevent behavioral disorders
by Tina Simoniello
What else?
We propose incentives for telemedicine, telepsychiatry, we ask to increase the funds allocated to research in mental health but also on the neuropsychic part, of the long covid, and to strengthen the assistance and emergency networks. Another important issue is the observatory on suicides, a phenomenon of great alarm that must be monitored. But it is above all important to work on the data because their collection on mental health is fragmented and in many cases stops at 2018 we are currently carrying out epidemiological investigations and interventions based on data that are difficult to collect and very fragmented “.
Covid: the president of the psychologists from Speranza: “More specialists are needed in the NHS against the pandemic discomfort”
by Valeria Pini
Then there is the whole question of the mental health of children and very young people….
“Various researches tell us that the high levels of stress and isolation can influence the psycho-physical development of children and adolescents, even in the long term, weighing more on those who find themselves in situations of economic, social and educational poverty. I would add that this is probably just the tip of the iceberg, it is those striking and clearly “visible” situations that can be intercepted. It is estimated that one in six children in Italy has a probable mental health problem and the number of children referred for assistance is constantly increasing ”.
Covid. Panic: when fear overwhelms us like a tsunami
by Irma D’Aria
On this aspect, what objectives does it propose?
“It is necessary to make clear choices that put both the physical and mental health of childhood and adolescence at the center of the socio-health policies of the country and of the individual territories, involving child neuropsychiatrists, psychologists, educational services and the social ones, the third sector, in addition to pediatricians. It is necessary to strengthen the territorial medicine of neuropsychiatry and preventive medicine, starting from the family pediatrician’s clinic, reorient the services on the mental health needs of young people, increase the number of beds dedicated to child neuropsychiatry in order to enhance the response to acute and more severe cases of neuropsychiatric type with the possibility of hospitalization in specialized centers. From eating disorders to problems with language and behavior, the offer is too differentiated between regions and between north and south “.
Anxiety, aggression, limbo effect. Coronavirus confuses young people. A guide to defend them
Priscilla Di Thiene
On this aspect a paradigm has been coined “Not for us, but with us”, what do you mean?
“The objective is the establishment of a central, national or regional multidisciplinary coordination group, which can guide mental health interventions, preparing projects and programs in line with the needs of the population and the trend of the spread of epidemics on the national territory. It is crucial today more than ever to take into consideration, as specified by the World Economic Forum, the needs of children and adolescents in any debate or decision to adopt restrictive measures, according to the principle precisely, ‘not for us, but with us’ “.
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