Coast's strong appeal/ Be open, half of mental disorders begin before the age of 14

2023-05-29 16:55:00, Aktualitet CNA

Coast's strong appeal/ Be open, half of mental disorders begin before the

Our region was recently shocked by an event that took place in Serbia, when a teenage boy killed ten people at school, including nine classmates. A terrible tragedy that left us all speechless for days.

24 hours after the school tragedy, another mass murder occurred in our region, where a 21-year-old man killed 8 people. For all of us in this region, those events raised questions about gun control and mental health issues.

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Based on this, the Secretary General of the Council for Regional Cooperation (RCC), Majlinda Bregu, spoke about mental health and opens a discussion on what can be done at the institutional level, especially at the regional level, regarding policies and good practices that are needed, which should be systematic, comprehensive and lifelong, also based on good experience from other countries.

Referring to the World Health Organization, Bregu said that half of all mental disorders begin before the age of 14, while 75% of them in their mid-twenties. Most of them remain undetected and untreated. Some say the rejection, misunderstanding and discrimination associated with mental health stigma can be more difficult to deal with than the condition itself. Stigmas and "myths" about mental health reduce the likelihood of seeking help, including getting timely help and support.

" 'An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure'. This is true. There is a lot of advice on how to improve our physical health, preventing disease by taking care of what we do and what we eat. But what about health What does 'an ounce of prevention' mean when it comes to mental health and do we care enough about it?

It is estimated that 9 million children and young people in Europe live with a mental disorder. Unfortunately, needs are always greater than resources, and only about 2% of the national health budget goes to mental health.

A study from 2020 shows that about 22% of Kosovar teenagers, teenagers from Albania and North Macedonia reported symptoms of depression. Research presented by the National Youth Council in Serbia at the end of last year shows that more than half of young people had symptoms of depression. The 2022 study in Bosnia and Herzegovina found that the most frequent diagnoses or difficulties for teenagers were depression and anxiety, as reported by 48%. Almost 40% of young people in Montenegro feel under stress every day.

We at RCC starting in December 2021, have taken the first steps through the Youth Lab Mental Health towards bringing together the mental health needs of young people and policy solutions, Since that moment, young people from the region and decision makers have been working with national plans for mental health, as well as with instructions and recommendations.

I know that budget constraints are an issue to consider, but clarifying the many gray areas when it comes to mental health legislation and improving the cross-sectoral approach are essential if we are to have a clear picture of one of the most pressing problems. major issues that this region is facing. A friendly environment is also a necessity when talking about these issues. Our children do not consider their home and families as the only communities; there are also online communities. Do we have any regulators for them? We need to be proactive, more open and free to communicate about mental health, especially with young people from our region. I know it's easier said than done, but we have to believe that when it comes to mental health, an apple a day doesn't keep the doctor away.", said Bregu./ CNA.al