The world must recognize mental health as a strategic and global priority, said President Iliana Yotova at the opening of the 16th International Scientific Conference of the European Network for the Evaluation of Mental Health Services (ENMESH) in Sofia.
The true leadership and maturity of a nation are measured by caring for those who need it most and are most vulnerable, said the head of state. The President cited data from the World Health Organization for Europe, according to which one in six people live with some kind of mental illness.
“This alarming statistic raises the question of how to overcome this, unfortunately, ingrained human stigma - a social stigma that turns mental suffering into isolation, forcing people to hide their pain instead of seeking help. Society is used to easily accepting a broken bone, but it seems to be afraid and somehow runs away from accepting a broken soul“, said Iliana Yotova.
According to her, when someone suffers physically, they receive compassion and care, but when they suffer mentally, they too often receive advice to tighten up or are isolated by the “wall of silence“. It is time to rearrange our priorities as a society, as institutions, and as individuals. This means understanding that health is not just the absence of physical illness, but harmony between body and mind, the president said.
Investing in prevention, in accessible therapy, in emotional intelligence from an early age is our best insurance for the future, said Yotova. We solve global crises, we carry out technological revolutions, but in our exhausting everyday life we forget the most important thing - the sense of integrity and personality, the head of state also said.
We live in an era of unprecedented paradox. We are connected to the whole world through the screen we carry in our pockets, but we are lonelier than ever. We touch perfect digital images, while our inner images and inner worlds often fall apart, said Iliana Yotova.
Mental health is not a luxury for the chosen ones and is not a topic reserved only for psychotherapists' offices. It is the air that our society breathes. If we want to build a world of innovation, security and progress, we must first heal wounded human souls, the president said.
The forum, which will last until June 20, is this year dedicated to the topic of rethinking mental health in times of change and is expected to bring together over 250 experts, scientists and practitioners from Europe and the world.