International School Parent Magazine - Autumn 2019

The start of
Mental Health First Aid
training in English
in Switzerland
How many times a day do we ask a loved one, friend, colleague, neighbour or other
acquaintance, “How are you?”, and what kind of reply do we usually get?
Most of the time, it’s a superficial,
“I’m fine thank you”, and then
both parties rush on with their
busy lives.
Sometimes, if the person has a physical
health issue, they may mention that: “I’ve
got a cold and I feel lousy”, or “I twisted
my ankle last week” – whatever it may
be. But what about if they have a mental
health problem? Opening up and talking
about mental health problems is still taboo
and carries a lot of misunderstanding,
uncertainty, fear and stigmatisation.
For someone struggling with their mental
health, being asked how they are is actually
a really important question. Sufferers would
like to be able to talk about their issues
and feel supported by someone who has
the time to listen. But because of worries
about being perceived as weak, having
the courage to answer honestly can
be very difficult.
Also, for many people,
taking the time to listen to a
person with mental health
issues with compassion
and empathy can feel
uncomfortable, or may not
come naturally.
In Europe, 1 in 2 adults
will experience mental distress
at some point in their lives, with
depression and anxiety the most
common diagnoses. 1 Approximately
17% of the Swiss population suffer from
at least one mental illness but in 2013 in this
country, only 33% of those experiencing
mental illness received professional help. 2,3
Many people are not well informed
about how to recognise mental
health problems, how to respond
to an affected person or about
what effective treatments are
available. Plenty of myths and
misconceptions are still out
there. But now is the time to
act. We need to bust these
myths, change these misconceptions and
break down the barriers of stigmatisation
because mental health issues are so
common.
So, how can this be achieved?
Earlier in 2019, the Swiss Foundation Pro
Mente Sana, together with the Beisheim
Foundation, successfully launched the
Australian Mental Health First Aid
1. Wittchen, H.-U., & Jacobi, F. Size and burden of mental health disorders in Europe – a critical review and
appraisal of 27 studies. Neuropharmacology, 2005.
2. Bürli, C., Amstad, F., Duetz Schmucki, M., & Schibili, D. (2015). Psychische Gesunheit in der Schweiz.
Bestandsaufnahme und Handlungsfelder. Bericht im Auftrag des Dialogs Nationale Gesundheitspolitik. Bern.
3. Rüesch, P., Bänziger, A., & Juvalta, S. Regionale psychiatrische Inanspruchnahme und Versorgungsbedarf in der
Schweiz. Datengrundlagen, statistische Modelle, ausgewählte Ergebnisse – eine explorative Studie (Obsan Dossier
23). Neuchâtel 2013.
INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL PARENT AUTUMN 2019 | 19