President warns against stigmatisation of mental health sufferers

President Marie Louise Coleiro Preca reiterated the importance of not stigmatising those who suffer from mental health problems and called for timely prevention and intervention measures.

Addressing members of the press on World Mental Health Day, Coleiro Preca said that stigmatisation is a form of judgment, discrimination and exclusion and only leads to worsen the situation of the person affected by mental illness.

“The fact that mental illness is not always visible gives rise to the risk of the condition being given less importance. This only continues to perpetuate the stigma against mental illness,” the President said. “For this reason, as a society, it is necessary that we educate ourselves in order to better understand the varied nature of mental illness.”

Coleiro Preca called for the required preventative and interventative services to be available in a timely fashion and for health professionals in this field to create synergy and focus on holistic and interdisciplinary treatment.

“I call on the authorities in this field to pay attention to the recommendations proposed by organisations, professionals and informal carers, and the affected persons, and to approve the necessary funds in order to give these people the dignity they deserve,” she added. 

The President cited the World Health Organisation, saying that by 2030, depression will be the leading cause of health problems across the world. “This means that mental illness affects us all, directly and indirectly,” she said.