World Mental Health Day is celebrated every year on October 10 to raise awareness of the issues mental health around the world. According to data from the World Health Organization, globally more than 15 percent of young people between the ages of 10 and 19 suffer from some kind of psychological problem.
On that occasion, we spoke with to young people from Belgrade about how they take care of their mental health and how much help they receive.
"I was under a lot of stress in my first year of college," Tamara (20), a student, told Vreme.
She lost a lot of weight due to lack of sleep.
"Finally, I went to see a psychologist at the Health Center. The conditions are very bad and you have to wait a long time for your turn, so now I go privately. They are abnormally expensive in Belgrade and someone whose parents have an average salary can hardly afford it, so they will give up even if they need help", says Tamara.
Her friend Jovan went to a psychologist for three years.
"She helped me a lot, although it was expensive." "Before that, I was with a woman who is considered a great expert and she told me that there was no help for me," says Jovan (18).
Young people from the center of Belgrade say that it is acceptable for them to go to psychotherapy and that stigma in their environment is almost non-existent.
"My friend went to therapy for a year because he had bouts of uncontrollable anger, but nothing helped him and he dropped out of school," says Luka (16).
Adolescents in modern society are most often faced with loneliness, lack of self-confidence, connecting through social networks instead of with peers in person.
Therefore, they escape to the world of video games, become addicted to their phones, and live with unrealistic beliefs about life, which are served through social networks - that they can become famous and rich overnight.
Support unavailable to many
When it comes to psychological support, the biggest problem for young people in Serbia is limited state resources and the exorbitant prices of private therapy, which is unaffordable for most.
According to UNICEF data, there are only 43 psychiatrists for children and youth available in Serbia who provide services for mental health protection and psycho-social support while in health centers 123 psychologists employed.
Young people who are able to afford a private psychotherapist explain that this therapy is often reduced to pharmacological methods of treatment.
"I went to a couple of them and no one seemed to listen to me at all and wanted to help me, and I started going because of a panic attack." I finally found a therapist, and she prescribed xanax (alprazolam) for me the first time she saw me," says Vanja (21), who says she spends about 12.000 dinars for a psychotherapy session.
According to the data of the Republic Health Insurance Fund (RFZO), 2022 million boxes of benzodiazepines (anti-anxiety drugs) and 5,2 million boxes of antidepressants were prescribed in Serbia in 2,14.
Indispensable community empowerment
Research by the Center for Children's Rights (CPD) has shown that most children would first talk about their problems with friends, not with adults.
Although they trust their friends the most, in some cases children are ready to turn to their parents as well.
Although they are aware of the existence of professional staff for child development at school, the children say that they do not trust the school psychologist and that they would not confide in them about their problems.
"When the class teacher couldn't deal with us anymore, she would start yelling and send us all to a psychologist." She kept sending me there," Dejan (18) remembers.
Most of the children said they believed the conversations would not remain confidential. Also, they fear the negative consequences that could arise if they report the violent behavior of other students. They emphasize that they are afraid that the violence could escalate if the school or social services intervene.
Director of the Center for Children's Rights, Jelena Paunović, told "Vreme" that this attitude indicates a serious gap in communication and trust between children and adults who should provide them with support.
"The education system, as well as the health and social care system, must work harder to build relationships of trust, ensuring that children feel safe and protected." Also, it is necessary to work on developing an approach that will enable children to seek help without fear, while ensuring confidentiality and an adequate response", says Paunović.
She adds that with this aim, the Center for Children's Rights is implementing the project "Promoting the welfare of children in protection from violence".
"We strive to create a triangle of trust between educators, parents and children, as well as the local community, where problems are openly raised and quickly resolved."
One of our goals is to improve the access and quality of mental health services and support provided to children who are at risk of violence or are already exposed to violence", says Paunović.
Children's mental health is essential for society
Research on the mental health of young people conducted by the Umbrella Organization of Youth of Serbia (KOMS) showed that more than two-thirds of young people suffer from anxiety, more than half have symptoms of moderate or severe depression, while more than a third stated that they needed psychological support during for the last six months, but that they haven't talked to anyone.
Adolescents who are exposed to risk factors are more likely to develop mental health problems later on. Disrupted family relationships, domestic violence, poor peer relationships and lower socio-economic status are multiple factors that increase the risk of the disorder.
