“Science and humanity are two basic pillars”

MADRID, October 8 (European press) –

Psychiatric experts celebrate World Mental Health Day, which is celebrated on Sunday, after many years have gone unnoticed, except for patients and professionals, but with the epidemic it has become a serious problem and shown the importance of mental health.

For some professionals, such as the coordinator of the TCA unit at the San Carlos Clinical Hospital and Vice-President of the Spanish Society of Biological Psychiatry, Marina Díaz, “the pillars of good health are science and humanity,” for which she asked colleagues in the profession to take into account scientific evidence and medical developments “but without Ignoring the closeness and humanity that helps reduce suffering.”

Experts point out that the pandemic increased anxiety disorders, insecurity, irritability, mistrust, etc., as they saw their demands multiply, not forgetting that they were also close to those affected by COVID-19 and their families.

Another problem that psychiatrists and psychologists have had, they say, is that it has exacerbated the maturation problems of young adults, “who had to learn on their own on the other side of the computer screen.”

José Luis Carrasco, Professor of Psychiatry at the Complutense University of Madrid (UCM) and President of the Psychiatric Association of Madrid, explained.

A mental health illness that has also developed during the pandemic is associated with eating disorders. Experts specifically target young women who during confinement have been constantly exposed to diet and exercise recommendations and have lost their routines and personal relationships with their peers, resulting in insecurity and vulnerabilities in the form of eating disorders.

“Eating disorders have increased dramatically, plus they have done so in a much more serious way, which can lead to significant organic repercussions,” said Marina Diaz.

Faced with these cases, and some others, Professor José Luis Carrasco argues that “psychiatrists’ duty is now twofold: prevention and treatment”. Prevention, in his opinion, is by raising awareness in society that one is weak and that they must become stronger by accepting this and in terms of treatment because “the time has come to banish ideological and demagogic discourses” that deny mental illness.