World Mental Health Day

Today is the 10th of October and it is the World Mental Health Day.

As many of you already know, as a italian psychologist who lives and works in London since almost 6 years, I would love to give some thoughts on this day.

This year the topic is “The importance of the mental and physical health”, especially after all the things we went through.

We all struggle a lot in our life, we all need some help sometimes, but there are so many bias around the word “psychology” because lots of people still think that “if I need a psychologist, then I am crazy”.

But let me give you a very simple advise: this is false. And I am talking here first as a person then as a professional. In my life I am both a client and a psychologist, so I know what does it mean to do that final call, to embrace my problem and, especially, to deal and live with them.

But anyone who lives with poor mental health will know that – while those big societal changes are hugely important and absolutely need to be discussed – mental illness is not just a one-day-a-year issue, and when you’re struggling, you’ll often want practical changes you can make right now to get you feeling just a tiny bit less rubbish.

“COVID-19 has interrupted essential mental health services around the world just when they’re needed most,” Dr Tedros said. “World leaders must move fast and decisively to invest more in life-saving mental health programmes – during the pandemic and beyond.”

Try to think about it every day and don’t be scared: you are a normal human being and it is totally normal to ask for help.