Every October 10th, world mental health day is celebrated, day that won’t just be a professional convention of psychologists (or future psychologists) but thanks to its recent establishment it tries to raise awareness about the issue of mental health. Yes, because how the famous Giovanele’s quote says “mens sana in corpore sana” (in order to have a healthy mind, you need to have a healthy body), although still timidly, in these last years specialists are trying to make people understand how the opposite way is also strongly necessary; for have a healthy body is mandatory to have a healthy mind. But why although still timidly? We live in a society where there are still so many prejudices, common thoughts in which you are considerated a “weak” person if you go to a psychologist, ignoring that go to a mental doctor is a similiar self love gesture, if not even better than going to a doctor. Going to a psychologist won’t make you sick, it will make you aware. Besides being a gesture of social rebellion, taking care about your mental health it’s a preventive gesture to avoid imbalance in your global functioning. And trying to understand and analyze yourself, is not one of the principal reason why you’re here, in this world? The mental health research doesn’t necessarily start from going to a specialist, but even from considering a topic that can distress you or scare you, and, thanks to introspection, try to understand yourself.
Every life fact bring with her a large experience luggage and different teachings, from the positive ones to the negative ones. For example, going to Erasmus should be one of the major living and engaging experience of your youth; but (vogliamo soffermarci inserito come domanda)are we talking about the pain of missing home? Or about the incapacity to settle in a new living context? And what about the fear of loneliss? They are all possible life experiences that could badly influence your mental wellness, and consequently your mental health. So, dear Erasmus students, my passionate advice is to live fully this experience, trying to concentrate on your pyscophisic wellness. Hoping that this world day can be inspirational for a deeper conception of the common health thought, live consciously this Erasmus and, if required, don’t hesitate to ask help.
Numbers for psychological support: 800274274 (cellphone: 0229007166) - Number for psychiatric support: 800.833.833