Sole Terre Foundation created a national network of psychologists and psychotherapists, co-financed by the Intesa Sanpaolo Charity Fund and Fondation d’Harcourt, to offer psychological support throughout Italy at a reduced price (forty euros) o in free form for the most fragile categories such as minors, cancer patients, people with serious trauma, people in economic difficulty. The idea of the project, which aims to ensure accessibility to the service for the entire population, was born following the first data from a survey presented at the House of Representativesin which it emerged the increase in the percentage of Italians who declare that they have a very bad or bad mental condition: from 12% in 2022 to 14% in 2023. More than one in four Italians also stated that their mental well-being has worsened in the last three years. Women, young people and residents of the North West are the most affected targets. The study was conducted by Sole Terre Foundation e Emg different precisely to verify the Italians’ perception of their mental health and to analyze the difficulties of the Italian population in accessing psychological support.
The survey, conducted on a sample of one thousand and ten individuals between the ages of eighteen and seventy-four, showed that 40% of the interviewees had to deal with psychological therapy for themselves or for a family member; however, in 49% of cases the person had to interrupt or reduce the sessions due to the economic unsustainability of the same: a forced interruption of a psychological path considered useful by 78% of the interviewees. The collected data also shows that, in terms of economic sustainability, according to the Italians, the ideal cost of a therapy session should be around thirty-eight euros. 61% of the sample believes that if an association offered psychotherapy sessions for forty euros, this price would be acceptable and accessible. In the hypothesis of being able to help those who need psychological support, but cannot afford it, 68% of Italians declare that they are more inclined to turn to an association if part of these forty euros were donated to them and almost one out of two Italians would be inclined to pay them for a psychotherapy session.
«With the psychological support of Soleterre we help people who are in a moment of psychological need and we put them at the center of attention because with their payment of a reduced rate of forty euros Soleterre supports humanitarian projects for children with cancer in different areas of the world and wounded by war. The therapeutic approach that unites the people involved starts with the advertising of the campaign in which patients undergoing psychological treatment say that “thanks to their symptoms” they have been able to help other people. The intention is to create a message that is stronger than the social stigma that places those who, due to episodes of depression, panic attacks, anxiety and other mental symptoms, find themselves suffering from this situation into a “checkmate” of ineffectiveness, sometimes , from the family affective sphere that often no longer includes their loved ones at the very moment they need them most. A message of dignity that concerns all members of the human family and their rights to be considered fully capable. When we get sick, the whole individual never gets sick and we have to connect with the dimensions that remain healthy and functioning. This, in addition to being an act of care, is the foundation of our vision of mental health. Thanks to Ricky Tognazzi and to Different for being with us». comments Damiano Rizzi, president and founder of Soleterre onlus. The actor is in fact testimonial of the campaign to launch this initiative.
The investigation by the Soleterre Foundation also touched on the theme of the psychologist bonus: 67% of Italians say they have heard of the psychologist bonus, but only 3% have used it. Among those who, although knowing it, did not use it, 17% did not know how to request it/had difficulty in requesting it and 15% were not granted it (for limited funds) or were not entitled to it. Soleterre Foundation informs that it is possible to schedule an interview by calling 3357711805 or writing an e-mail to [email protected].