“If I break my leg, going to the doctor is a natural thing to do. When someone goes to a psychologist, people still ask what is wrong with the person and whether they are mentally ill.” This is how AHS state spokesman Emil Schachtschabel describes the ongoing stigma surrounding the topic of mental health. Pupils are particularly affected: According to a study by the Danube University Krems from the previous year, every second young person stated that they suffered from mental problems.
The mental health youth initiative took up this problem and received 138,000 signatures. The initiative advocates breaking the taboo on psychological problems and providing support for children and young people. A suggestion from the referendum will be implemented this school year in Upper Austria: workshops in schools are intended to help young people to recognize mental stress at an early stage and to familiarize them with the offers of help.
“Offer at eye level”
3,000 students between the ages of 14 and 19 are to learn how to deal with their own mental health in around 120 workshops this school year. Youth Councilor Wolfgang Hattmannsdorfer (VP) speaks of an “offer at eye level”. The project was implemented together with the state student representation and the state youth service and can be booked from today at https://www.jugendservice.at/fuer-schulen/workshops-resilienz/ich-schau-auf-mich.
The workshop, which was developed by psychologists and social counselors, among others, can also be held in communities and youth associations. There are further offers of help from the youth service: in addition to anonymous online advice, youth counselors are available in 14 infostores in the district capitals.
Information on the offers of help at: https://www.jugendservice.at/leben/fuer-dich-da/
Source: Nachrichten
