There is no health without mental health

(Mental) Health for All: Project Semester in line with World Health Day 2023 goals

World Health Day is held on April 7 each year. Since 1948, this day has aimed to raise awareness of a specific health issue in order to tackle important topics and bring them to the public's attention. WHO's 75th anniversary year is an opportunity to motivate action to meet the health challenges of today and tomorrow. In line with the agenda and motto "Health for all" of the UN World Health Day 2023, a group of students from the Department of Nonprofit, Social and Health Management at MCI is focusing on the topic of mental health in the current project semester.

When we think of health, we usually think of the body. We protect it from environmental influences, from accidents, from illness. But do we pay attention to our soul to the same extent? If someone falls down on the street, we call for rescue. But if someone next to us cries, seems apathetic or desperate, how do we deal with it? What to do when the soul is in acute distress? Almost one in three people will suffer from a mental illness requiring treatment in the course of their lives. Worldwide, depression, alcohol disorders, bipolar disorders and schizophrenia are among the most common illnesses.¹

In cooperation with pro mente tirol, the students have been working on the initiative "First Aid for the Soul" in a semester-long project since February. The initiative provides information in easily understandable language on mental health, mental illnesses and current issues that can put a strain on the psyche. In the "First Aid for the Soul" seminar, trained instructors impart basic knowledge about mental illnesses in a total of 12 hours and teach and practice concrete first aid measures for problems and crises. The participants receive basic knowledge about mental health and illness, learn about first aid for mental health in 5 steps and deal with the most common or most serious mental illnesses. The goal of the project is to find out how to increase awareness of this service.

During a field trip to pro mente tirol, the students were able to get to know the facilities and the wide range of counseling and care services offered by the organization for people with mental illness. The group of students will present their findings at MCI at the end of June.

^{1  https://www.bundesgesundheitsministerium.de/service/begriffe-von-a-z/s/seelische-gesundheit.html}