Every 10 October, the World Health Organization draws attention to the importance of taking care of our mental health, a challenge that is increasingly urgent in today’s society. According to WHO data, it is estimated that one in seven adolescents, between the ages of 10 to 19 years, experiences a mental health disorder, although most cases go unnoticed or remain untreated.
In response to this reality, which has made mental health a pressing social priority, CEU has launched the #YoSoyTuParaguas campaign to highlight the importance of seeking help, remind us that everyone needs a support network, and encourage open public conversation about mental health. Speaking openly, without stigmas, about anxiety, stress or depression, all of which are rising sharply around us, is the first step towards overcoming them. The campaign’s symbol is an umbrella, representing the shelter we offer to one another when the storm outside intensifies.
Tomás Chivato, Dean of the School of Medicine at CEU San Pablo University, has set out a decalogue which, among other recommendations, calls for recognising mental health as an essential part of life; acknowledging emotions and learning strategies to manage them; to break the stigma and to start speaking about mental health without fear; to act when we see warning signs and to see seeking help as a gesture of emotional strength rather than weakness; fostering genuine human connection and reducing screen time. And, above all, being someone else's umbrella.