Cracks TEST – la Repubblica
In the world, one in eight people lives with a mental disorder, but the Italian average is one in five. A figure that also exceeds the European average, especially for anxiety and depression, which can no longer be seen as a mere percentage, but rather an urgent call to reconsider how we deal with and perceive mental health in our daily lives. The data speaks clearly. But behind these figures lies an incalculable number of people who live with an internal monster that is fed and strengthened daily by shame, discomfort and fear of judgment from others, especially in the workplace.
We tend to keep our mental well-being struggles under wraps for fear of compromising others’ assessment of ourselves. But these numbers should invite us to reflect on how we address and understand mental health in the daily fabric of our society. Breaking down the wall of shame is an increasingly evident necessity, to shed light on what is not just an individual problem but a matter of public interest that requires everyone’s attention and commitment.
Crepe is a podcast by Generali that aims to illuminate the gray area in which those with mental health problems still take refuge today. And it does so by giving voice to people who suffer from different disorders, from anxiety to borderline personality, from eating disorders to post-partum depression, interviewing as many experts who answer the crucial questions of those who need help but also of those who live with or work with them. A journey that guides us towards understanding what can be done to address this challenge and the need to promote environments in which open conversations about mental health are actively encouraged and not stigmatised, underlining the importance of public recognition and acceptance as fundamental pieces in building a healthier and more supportive society.
“The issues of mental health in the past have been addressed with hesitation and a certain distance. Driven by the new generations and the pandemic period, today mental well-being is establishing itself as a highly topical issue, which requires attention, adequate tools and awareness, with a consequent proactive approach. In General – explains Name Surname and role – – our approach to sustainability is expressed in the roles of insurer and sustainable investor, but equally as employer and corporate citizen, alongside our people and the communities in which we operate. In this direction, with the Crepe podcasts we actively wanted to break the isolation in which people suffering from a mental disorder find themselves.”
Educating, raising awareness and promoting understanding have become a common prerogative to build an environment in which people feel free to seek help without fear of judgement, putting their mental well-being at the centre. “It is increasingly necessary to speak with openness and acceptance about these problems, often represented as distant but which, as confirmed by the numbers, are growing and everywhere around us, if not in us – adds Name Surname –. Through Crepe, we shed light on some of the most widespread mental health problems, with the aim of bringing them to light and addressing them. In this effort to welcome and listen, the workplace, a daily arena of discussion and relationships, becomes a place of inclusion, of telling the story of the self and of starting again”.
There’s a crack in everything, and that’s where the light comes in
From these narratives it emerges strongly how acceptance and recognition are an integral part of the treatment process. And also of the importance of the working context, as a relief valve, part of the problem or an essential tool for solving it. The idea of public recognition and acceptance as a new form of social therapy is gaining ground, paving the way for a more empathetic and inclusive community. Public acceptance of mental disorders is an essential element to aspire to an increasingly inclusive future, where the story of each of us can also help others. But what must the working environment be like for it to be regenerative for a person with a mental disorder? And what actions must be taken to initiate this change? “What we tell in the first five episodes are common stories. Making them emerge helps to increasingly strengthen attention to diversity, promote their inclusion and implement a work environment where each person can bring the best of themselves and dare to tell their story. We will therefore continue to stimulate open conversations about mental wellbeing, raising awareness around these topics. Only through awareness does inclusion come,” concludes Name Surname.
Welcome and respect on multiple levels seem to be essential to break down the barriers of misunderstandings and let light enter through the cracks of each of us: a light that restores dignity and courage to say who we are, to also express our weaknesses and to be seen as people and no longer as an illness or a problem.
