Prevention First: Building a Healthy You

YMCA Malta believes in the importance of preventative measures. By taking care of yourself regularly, you can build resilience and develop the tools needed to manage stress, anxiety, and everyday hardships. Their philosophy focuses on:

• Strong self-development: This includes practices that improve your mental, physical, and sexual health.
• Active citizenship: Engaging with your community and promoting positive change.
• Community engagement: Building strong connections with others can provide invaluable support.
• Safe space for well-being: The YMCA offers a comfortable environment where you can prioritize your well-being.

Affordable Support: Psychotherapy, Family Therapy, and Counseling

Their team of qualified psychotherapists offers a range of services, all designed to help you improve your life. Whether you’re looking to manage stress or anxiety, work through mental health or process life changes, their services are offered on a donation basis of €10 per session. There’s also the option of waiving the fee for those in genuine financial hardship.

The YMCA offers:

• Individual adult therapy
• Individual child therapy
• Family therapy
• Couples therapy

Important Information:

• This service is not intended for emergencies.
• Appointments are required for all therapy sessions.

To access these services, contact the Community Services Manager at nicola.ymcamalta@gmail.com. Please include your name, surname, and contact information. The team will then contact you to assess your needs and match you with the right professional.

Be sure to share this information with anyone who might benefit from these services!

The post YMCA Malta – Subsidised Psychotherapeutic Services appeared first on The Third Eye.

If you’re among the percentage of students who feel an overwhelming sense of anxiety when thinking about the upcoming year, don’t worry, you’re not alone. However, there are steps you can take to make this transition easier on you.

University’s Mental Health Services

First, acknowledge your feelings and allow yourself to feel whatever it is you’re feeling. If you’re anxious about heading back to school, there’s no shame in admitting that. It might be a good idea to make use of university’s free mental health services where you will be able to speak with a professional who can help you make sense of your feelings and of the situation.

University’s counselling services operate between Monday to Friday, between 08:00-20:00, ensuring that even students with a packed schedule are able to find a slot that works for them. The staff is made up of a diverse team, with every person specialising in a different area. So, whether you need guidance on what your next steps after university should be, need help dealing with anxiety, or more complex feelings and emotions, there is a qualified member of staff who can help you.

Remember, going to therapy isn’t something you should be ashamed of, it’s why the service is there in the first place, to help students get accustomed to university life and tackle issues that might pop up.

Prioritise Self-care

If you don’t feel like you’re ready for therapy, there are other ways to manage back-to-school nerves. There’s still a few weeks left of summer, so make sure to dedicate some time for yourself. Prioritise your mental, physical, and emotional wellbeing by doing things you enjoy. Life is already hectic, so taking a few hours or days to unwind and recharge can help you get back on track.

Talk It Out

You can even talk to your classmates and see how they’re feeling. Since you’re embarking on this journey together, chances are you’ll have similar worries. Besides, who can understand your concerns better than students in your own course?

This semester, let’s all remember to be kinder to each other and offer a helping hand to those who might be struggling. If you need additional help, reach out to university’s free mental health services on counselling@um.edu.mt

The post Paving Way Through Academics | Chapter 2 – Prioritising Mental Health appeared first on The Third Eye.

Physical activity incorporates a range of physical movement which necessitates energy
expenditure. Any activity that gets your body to move and elevates your heart rate can be
considered as such. This physical exertion ultimately enhances many health-related matters,
including the improvement of one’s mental health and reducing the chances of risk for
developing chronic diseases such as diabetes, heart diseases and so on.

Be that as it may, today’s lifestyle has altered in a drastic way, carrying with it a lack of time
for people to try to integrate a fraction of some physical activity. Furthermore, some
occupations require us to lead a sedentary lifestyle due to the recent advances in
technologies, further decreasing the incentive of exercise and any benefits that come with
it. However, finding the time to accomplish this goal on a daily basis is far from
unachievable, but prior to its commencement one might require a good mental preparation.
This is an essential aspect due to the close correlation between the body and the mind, and
mental readiness could be a great asset.

One way of commencing this way of living can be through –

• Making a goal – When one plans a realistic goal that can acclimate to their lifestyle,
  motivation will start to arise and create a more organised way of leading the day.
  This first goal does not have to include big steps, but just the right amount so that it
  can be achievable. An example could be taking a brisk walk for 30 minutes a day.
  Then the intensity and length can be modified as one goes along.
  
• Choosing the right activity – Demotivation usually starts when a person is pursuing
  something which is not of their likeness, and this unfortunately applies to exercise as
  well. It is vital to experiment with what works best and to find that specific activity to
  look forward to when you wake up. If for instance walking is not functional enough,
  try other activities like swimming or dancing.
  
• Find a companion – When an activity involves more then one person it becomes
  even more fun and feasible. Additionally, physical activity can be a great time to
  catch up with a friend or with your family. Hiking or riding a bike through a valley for
  instance can undoubtedly make the process even more enjoyable.
  
• Utilizing Technology – We are fortunate enough to have technology to assist us in
  keeping track of our daily advancement through distinct applications and fitness
  trackers. These additional tools may support a person to not only stay on top of their
  progress but even maintain the motivation and accountability.

Apart from the above mentioned, physical activity is very versatile and the more one gets
creative with it, the more enjoyable it will become. Taking advantage of opportunities that
may present themselves during the day can also help, as sometimes a scheduled workout
cannot always be attainable. On such hectic days by simply climbing the stairs instead of
using an elevator is already a step forward. It is also vital to switch to different exercises
from time to time. Performing repetitive workouts can be tedious and monotonous if done
periodically and can lessen the engagement even more.

Therefore, incorporating physical activity into our day – to – day routine can for sure make a
change for the better. Motivation at times might fluctuate and lessen but that is not a
reason to stop. It is always prominent to listen to what your body is telling you as on some
days you might feel like doing a less intense activity. But if one remembers to do a little
every day a change in both mental and physical health can surely be noted!

The post Incorporating Physical Activity in the Daily Lifestyle | MHSA appeared first on The Third Eye.

What is Mental Health ?

Mental Health are two current words which are being articulated in every corner of our daily lives, and sometimes without deciphering a definition. Therefore, as WHO rightly explained, mental health is a

State of well-being in which the individual realizes his or her own abilities, can cope with the
normal stresses of life, can work productively and fruitfully, and is able to make a contribution to his
or her community.

WHO 2022

Thus, our mental health has the ability to define the ways that we feel on a day-to-day basis, how we think and process information, as well as behave both on our own and side by side others. It is not always about a mental disorder, as usually people focus on just maintaining a non – appearance of such mental health problems. It also includes a person’s ability to uphold continuous wellness and happiness. Therefore, since our mental health will be affected both through ourselves and others, this well – being should be practised on and individual level and a communal one.

How Mental Health Affects Physical Health

As we all know, our body is made up of different systems which correlate simultaneously. One separate part can have a comprehensive influence on the rest of the body resulting in the whole structure to be affected. Thereby, our mental state will ultimately have its apparent affects on our physical state due to the simple foundation that one compliments the other cohesively.

Some of the very prevalent symptoms which are usually felt amid a depressive episode, for instance are fatigue and insomnia. Depression can be felt as exceptionally draining to the whole body and sometimes the daytime exhaustion is a result of the insomnia. As a consequence of this, headaches can start to emanate making the person feel even more irritable and in pain, ultimately making it even more strenuous for the person to better themselves.

Supplementary to the aforementioned is anxiety, more specifically chronic anxiety as it usually impedes on the daily performance of a person. One of the problems that may occur here is a long – term release of stress hormones on a regular basis leading to headaches, light-headedness, and weight gain which can then intensify into depression. The Cardiovascular system is also affected here as anxiety can be a trigger for fast heart rate, chest pain, palpitations, all adding up to high blood pressure.

Therefore, we should be mindful when trying to apprehend and support someone suffering from a mental health issue, as at times the person can truly show you their daily struggle from minor indications but which causes them a lot of distress.

Mental Health in Earlier Years

The outlook and frame of mind concerning mental health has altered quite a bit from former times. Nowadays, in most countries, we are fortunate enough to go and seek the appropriate help we require, without much thought given and sometimes even as a free service. These new approaches and advancements required centuries and a great deal of committed and devoted people to come in view, as things were not always so admissible and customary. Olden times viewed mental health in a far more bizarre way with superstition and supernatural beliefs, rather than with a view of care, empathy, and science. Usually, people that were suffering from a mental health problem were affiliated with curses, witchcraft, and even satanic possessions. These people were seen as outcasts and barely ever found the care and compassion they so helplessly needed. To make matters worse, since mental health carried such a pessimistic and unfavourable connotation with it, the medications used were equally inhumane. Practises such as:

• Insulin Coma therapy
• Isolation
• Lobotomies
• Electroconvulsive shock therapy

were among the few that were used. These barbaric solutions usually left patients far worse than they initially started and in a more state of loneliness. An example of this for instance was documented in the famous novel ‘The Bell Jar’, by Sylvia Plath, were Sylvia recounted her own personal experience with Electroconvulsive Shock Therapy with a genuine description of how it actually was perceived by patients.

In furtherance, the asylums that patients were left at utilized equipment such as strait jackets to limit the persons mobility, leather wristlets and even manacles. These were deemed safe and necessary, but people were sometimes left in them for hours or even days without any merited motive.

How Time Improved Mental Health

The subject of mental health has since reformed and evolved throughout these past few years. People have become more inclined to learn and acknowledge the beauty in accepting and aiding others that are found to be struggling. Due to this safety being integrated into societies people are becoming less discouraged to seek the requisite help. Consequently, the
stigmas have since been diminished which finally improved the mental illness stereotypes.

One of the very paramount factors which achieved the aforesaid were the primacies given by the government towards mental wellbeing. These were seen through more funding granted for research as well as budgeting more money and funds. Governments also reconstituted gradually mental health establishments so that patients could recover in a more dignified
facility.

Malta has since also progressed immensely in this sector, providing numerous services and helplines allowing anyone to make use of them.

Some excellent representations include:

• Richmond Foundation
• Victim Support Malta
• SOAR Malta ( support towards domestic violence)
• Kellimni. Com
• Betapsi Malta ( The University Psychology Student Association)
• Mount Carmel Hospital

Thus, as a society we can continue to build on our past generations and sustain the mental health community by truly allowing mental health to be part of our lives and further work on making it a less denounced topic. It is us who should sometimes be the voice of people that are struggling and to periodically remind them that yes, there is hope left regardless of the situation.

The post Uncovering Mental Health | MHSA appeared first on The Third Eye.

Olli Chat is a free chatting service by Richmond Foundation operating 24/7, allowing its users to chat with professionals and get the help they need.

Who will you be chatting with?

If you don’t feel comfortable speaking to someone face-to-face, you can chat with one of their mental wellbeing support team. The team is made up of psychology graduates with extensive training provided by Richmond as well as training in Mental Health First Aid. Moreover, they operate under the supervision of a Richmond psychotherapist.

Did you know?

• Since the launch of Olli Chat, a total of 3,214 individuals reached out to Richmond Foundation.
• Women reach out for support more than men. That being said, there seems to be an increase in men reaching out for support.
• Diverse age groups reach out for support. The chat is utilized more by younger individuals ranging from 15-35 years old.
• The main presenting issues: anxiety, depression, loneliness, relationship difficulties, suicidal thoughts, along other mental health concerns.
• Suicidal thoughts and relationship difficulties have been on the increase the past 4 months.

Olliversary at the University

Representatives from the Richmond Foundation will be at the University to celebrate one year of Olli Chat and to provide students with more information about the service and answer any questions they may have.

The event will take place on May 20th, from 10:00 to 14:30 and will include a number of workshops focusing on Mental Health and Sports, Mental Health and Rest, and Mental Health and Nutrition.

The post Olli Chat | Richmond Foundation’s Mental Health Service appeared first on The Third Eye.

Written by Amy Mifsud

The number of women serving time at Corradino Correctional Facility has spiked to the highest figure in over 15 years. As of February 2021, there were 58 female prisoners, making up 7.1% of the prison population, whilst back in 2005, there were merely 14 women in prison.

This increase in women prisoners has been seen all across Europe with many laying the blame on the mistaken perception of the courts that prison is a place where women can receive drug treatment and mental health services.

Unbalanced Opportunities

Women in prison are generally more stigmatised than male prisoners and often have reduced access to treatment, programmes, and activities. This was seen even in our own prison facility at Corradino, with one article in 2018 pointing out that women prisoners did not have the opportunity to work and study as the males did. There is, however, a logistical explanation for this, in that the female wing has never occupied more than 50 prisoners until recently, whilst the male wing has seen an occupancy level upward of 500 ever since 2009. Although it is strategically more appropriate to have more opportunities given to the section of the prison with larger occupancy, it is hardly justifiable.

A case which was finalised back in 2018, detailed that seven transgender inmates were given €5000 each in damages relating to their treatment while at Corradino. The prison is well known for being a derelict, hopeless place with this being confirmed by these inmates who had to use blood-stained mattresses and were placed in dirty cells which had previously been used as storage rooms. It seems however, that the situation at the prison drastically improved after the appointment of Lieutenant Colonel Alexander Dalli as prison director in 2018.

Who are these ‘Imprisoned Women’?

Female prisoners mostly come from marginal groups with troubled backgrounds. When it comes to female prisoners, there is also the issue of their problematic backgrounds, with many women prisoners coming from marginal groups. This creates a complex history of abuse, self-harm, homelessness, poor physical and reproductive health, and problematic relationships. These factors would have had a large impact on their mental health, with the
situation often being intensified by drug and alcohol abuse. Many women also tend to worry a great deal about children. Studies have shown that 30% of female prisoners have previously been admitted to hospital for psychiatric needs whilst only 10% of male prisoners have had the same experience (Department of Health,2007).

Imprisoned, Isolated…

The isolation women face in prison may also be reminiscent of the isolation they felt during their abusive childhoods, therefore, making them relive that horrible situation. Furthermore, the inability to contact their loved ones outside, at any given time, can take a great toll on a person’s mental health. This combined with the lack of support they receive in prison can have detrimental consequences. Many women in prison perceive themselves as being below others
and tend to have a great lack of self-esteem and fear of failure. They also tend to blame themselves for the abuse they received either as a child or from their partner. Some have become so accustomed to abuse that they view it as a form of affection. These women portray a total lack of confidence and trust, as well as great difficulty to form appropriate, long-lasting relationships in their personal and professional lives.

The ‘Prison Environment’

The prison setting infantilizes offenders causing them to become dependent on prison staff. The prison environment forces women who previously had almost full control over their own lives, to be dependent on prison staff for even the most basic of needs as well as having to obey a higher authority which at times imposes arbitrary disciplinary rules. Whilst many women find the prison setting traumatising due to the lack of privacy and autonomy, others view it as some sort of reprieve from their home life which may have been abusive.

Many female prisoners are often subjected to increased stigmatisation than their male counterparts as well as bullying and/or sexual assault from other prisoners or even prison staff. Although it is justifiable that these prisoners should lose some form of control over their lives as part of their punishment, it is evident that there is an imbalance of power and a lack of equality in treatment between men and women. It is also inexcusable for women to be subject to emotional and physical harm by prison staff, no matter the crime they have been convicted for.

A positive turn for Corradino Correctional Facility?

Back in 2018, there were merely three mental health and healthcare professionals working within our prison facility. This number has radically increased to 23 as of September 2020 including professionals such as social workers, psychologists, psychiatrists, care plan coordinators and doctors and nurses. These professionals noted that inmates find most difficulty with discovering coping mechanisms to handle the loss of freedom and anxiety they feel on admission into the prison. This is contrary to popularly suspected issues such as aggressive thoughts.

According to Malta’s Mental Health Strategy for 2020 to 2030, prisoners suffering from a serious mental illness and those who are in need of constant in-house support are currently all treated together at Mount Carmel Hospital’s Forensic Unit. This strategy has also acknowledged the gap in mental health services available for forensic patients and has determined that in order to move forward, the entire service needs to be addressed thus, a group of stakeholders from various sectors must be set up.

Positive Conclusions

To end on a positive note I must say, over the past few years Malta has taken incredible strides in bringing awareness and updating legislation regarding mental health, especially with the formation of a Mental Health Strategy for 2020-2030 which acknowledges mental health across various sectors. However, improvements still must be made in order to better facilitate the mental wellbeing of inmates during their time at prison as well as upon their release

The post Malta’s Imprisoned Women: Traumas and Mental Health Crisis | CSA appeared first on The Third Eye.

Written by Rebecca Fsadni

Social media has undoubtedly made its way into our lives and taken over. Whether it is that constant checking of our phones to see if we have a message, or notifications on Facebook, the need to keep our profiles active and aesthetically pleasing, or even having that urge to start our day with a cup of coffee and scrolling through different platforms.

With that being said, we need to monitor the effects social media has on our mental health and our everyday functioning. While being in contact with others through social media eases stress, anxiety, and depression, having a lack of connections on social media is likely to induce very risky mental and emotional damage.

But why has it become such an overpowering need to have a presence online?

Lawrence Robinson and Melinda Smith, listed various positive as well as negative aspects of social media, what drives social media use, and also signs to look out for which are a result of social media impacting one’s mental health. Social media enables one to communicate with friends and family around the world, find outlets for self-expression and even join and promote worthwhile causes thus raising awareness on current issues.

Whilst social media has a positive influence on our lives, we must also pay attention to the negative influences it has too. Having a fear of missing out (FOMO) is developing greatly and we then tend to check our phones for updates so that we are constantly up to date with what’s going on. FOMO has been associated with lower mood and life satisfaction. By using different social media platforms, we are more subject to cyberbullying because it is easier for someone to hide behind a screen and post hurtful comments anonymously rather than face to face.

How do we know that our mental health is being affected by social media?

For one, online interaction has taken over offline interaction on a global scale. Even while hanging out with friends, we feel the need to constantly check our phones. Especially with teens and young adults, it has become likely to view ourselves unfavourably in comparison to others online which has oftentimes been developed into eating disorders. By engaging in risky behaviour in order to gain likes, we are subjecting ourselves to criticism from others and we are also making a bad name for ourselves in the public eye. Social media becomes harmful when it is deemed addictive to a particular individual. Various studies and experiments have found that it is potentially more addictive than alcohol and cigarettes.

Another research by Mir and Novas in 2018 found that statistics are indicating an increase in mental illnesses especially in young adults aged between 18 and 25 who are considered more prone to develop such issues due to the long hours spend on social media.

The online deception of one’s self

Mir and Novas also found a report by the American Academy of Pediatrics which defines Facebook depression as depression that develops when teens and preteens spend time on social media sites and then begin to exhibit classic symptoms of depression due to the intensity of the online world. This occurs when teens opt to only put their best qualities and attributes online thus hiding their negative features.

The version of ourselves we put online is deceptive to many, thus creating a fake self for the public eye. By watching other friends’ success online such as by comparing the number of likes on a photo to theirs, will only make others feel worse about themselves. In the USA, a university had conducted research that discovered that teens who spend 5 or more hours a day online were 71% more likely to have at least one risk factor for suicide compared to teens who spent only 1 hour a day online.

How can we make a change in our social media habits?

If we are aware that social media is affecting our mental health, we should be the first to put a stop to it and seek help to move forward in the right direction. By monitoring how much time we spend on social media, we can reduce the time we spend locked on our phones thus reducing the risk of mental illness.

Another option to reduce the time spent on social media is to turn off the mobile or tablet during certain times in the day for example while driving, or working so as to fully immerse in the task at hand and the effort put is greater. One can also disable certain notifications from applications; hence the sound of the notification will not disturb and provide an urge to check the phone. By taking action, we are being the first to promote a change in our lifestyle and enabling ourselves a healthier life.

cover image: source

The post How is social media impacting our mental health? | Betapsi appeared first on The Third Eye.

Written by Lara Kitney

Nature vs Nurture debate

Renowned psychologist John Broadus Watson famously said,

“Give me a dozen healthy infants, well-formed, and my own specified world to bring them up in and I’ll guarantee to take anyone at random and train him to become any type of specialist I might select—doctor, lawyer, artist, merchant-chief and, yes, even beggar-man and thief”.

Being a Behaviourist, Watson, needless to say, was on the nurture side of the nature vs nurture debate. Although today we know that both nature and nurture exert their influences concurrently to contribute towards what ultimately makes us who we are, we cannot deny that the environment in which we grow up and live in has a lot to say as to who we become and how we behave.

What we can deduct from this quote, if nothing else, is that man is influenced by the context in which he exists and grows up in: and what more prominent context is there than our socio-economic and cultural one?

The socio-economic and cultural context

Our socio-economic and cultural context does not only influence our physical development but also our psychological one. Hence, it should come as no surprise that the trigger of many mental health issues may very well find its roots within one’s own society and the conditions, ideals, expectations and general mentalities that that particular society harbours and imposes upon its members.

Watson speaks of ‘[his] own specified world to bring [individuals] up in’, but aren’t we all, for all intents and purposes, living in our own different realities, and hence our own different worlds, framed by the political, economic and cultural dimensions of the societies we live in?

The point here is that mental health issues and psychological distress may be brought on the individual depending on the conditions of the country he lives in such as the country’s lifestyle and its society. Mental health is not an element in the human condition that can be overlooked and affects the whole nation.

Ultimately it affects the lives of people suffering such conditions holistically and impedes their performance in their careers, and the productivity of society as a whole. In fact, the mental health programme at WHO/Europe works with European countries and other partners to develop and implement national mental health policies and plans that reflect the WHO vision of “no health without mental health”.

Why have I said all this? Well if one looks at the statistics it all falls into place: In many Western countries, mental disorders are the leading cause of disability, responsible for 30-40% of chronic sick leave and costing some 3% of GDP.

The major depressive disorder

Let’s take major depressive disorder, or as it is most commonly known as; depression, as our first example. Depressive disorders cover single depressive episodes and recurrent depressive disorders. In typical depressive episodes, the patient suffers from a lowering of mood, reduction of energy, and decrease in activity. The patient’s capacity for enjoyment, interest, and concentration is reduced, and marked tiredness after even minimum effort is common; sleep is usually disturbed, and appetite diminished. Self-esteem and self-confidence are almost always diminished, and feelings of guilt or worthlessness are often present.

People suffer quietly at work, unable to perform, or go on sick leave, sometimes for long periods. One in seven people suffers from depression or any other form of mood disorder throughout their entire lifetime. It should then come as no surprise that in the EU, an average of about 7% of the population suffer from major depressive disorder every year. This figure rises to over 25% if anxiety and lighter forms of depression are included.

And this is just looking at depression, which is one of the most common conditions present in the EU and hence one of the more well-known forms of mental illnesses. Studies have shown that people living in European cities were amongst those reporting the highest rates of major depressive disorder. This is due to the unsurprising fact that the prevalence of chronic depression is affected by the degree of urbanisation, resulting in people who live in cities to have an elevated risk of suffering from chronic depression. In 2014, 7.8 % of the persons living in cities in the EU-28 reported depression.

How are disorders classified?

Other forms of mental illness or psychological disorders that may affect individuals include chronic anxiety, bipolar disorder, body dysmorphic disorder, borderline personality disorder, narcissistic disorder, schizophrenia and other psychotic disorders. These contribute to 4 % of all deaths in the EU, as recorded in 2015.

The key factor in all of this, from which many dissonances and incongruencies arise is the fact that here in Europe, we mainly use one of two classification publications: the International Classification of Diseases (ICD) which is published by the WHO or The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) which is published by the American Psychiatric Association and covers all categories of mental health disorders for both adults and children.

Although recent editions of the DSM and ICD have become more similar due to collaborative agreements, each one contains information absent from the other, so how is it that both can be used separately and independently? Just stop and think about this situation and the possible issues that it may cause.

This system can be highly criticised on the bases of reliability and validity of many diagnoses, not only because of the social construct that man himself has created as to what is normality and what is mental illness, but also majorly because it excludes and ignores all possible cultural biases and influences. Being published by the American Psychiatric Association, the DSM is based on the research agendas that take place across the pond.

Therefore the DSM is based on the statistics, white papers, monographs and journal articles generated from information gathered from the American population, whose lifestyle and cultural baggage may differ quite substantially from that of us Europeans. Therefore, how can these guidelines and findings be applied to the diagnosis of a different population?

Improving mental health in Europe

Why not move towards a more united Europe in the sphere of mental health by formulating our own method of classification? One based on research that has been done here within the EU?

If every member state were to put forward a panel of mental health professionals, to create a board of European researchers who would work towards gathering data through longitudinal studies within their states and from this information formulate our own standard diagnostic book, wouldn’t it be more suitable? Wouldn’t we be promoting a more Social Europe to fight, diagnose and treat mental health more adequately and effectively?

This must be done through consultations with stakeholders such as Mental Health Europe (MHE), a non-governmental network organisation committed to the promotion of positive mental health amongst other objectives.

This would greatly facilitate the coherent treatment of mental health problems in different EU countries thus promoting the mobility of citizens suffering from such conditions. Not only would patients be given a more consistent line of treatment wherever they may be residing in the EU, but it will also make it much easier for psychologists and psychiatrists across the 27 member states to consult one another and share research findings.

Europe would finally have the autonomy to identify its own method of diagnosis and line of treatment based on shared European cultural tendencies and hence enhancing the well-being of its people.

cover image: source

The post Europe for mental health | JEF Malta appeared first on The Third Eye.

It needs to be said that this is primarily a positive thing and being a little self-centred is good for you as it gives you drive and focus. However, due to an increased rate of self-interest, entitlement and attention-seeking have become a common curse – especially online.

So the question is: Is this sudden frequency of entitlement due to a modern Narcissistic Personality Disorder (NPD) endemic? Here’s how to identify a person with NPD.

Before we delve further into the topic, a quick definition of the term:

Narcissistic Personality Disorder is a personality disorder with a long-term pattern of abnormal behaviour characterized by exaggerated feelings of self-importance, excessive need for admiration, and a lack of empathy.

psychcentral.com

Although there may be some source of genetics and biological factors involved, the development of NDP in adulthood tends to originate mostly from a place of extreme emotional trauma in childhood to the point that this person kind of freezes in the particular emotional stage of development that they are in at the time of trauma. The defence-mechanism of people with NPD is creating an overconfident identity to mask the great insecurity and low self-esteem that this person experiences. In a way, these people are in a state of emotional denial.

A personality disorder is an enduring pattern of inner experience and behaviour that deviates from the norm of the individual’s social and cultural context. The pattern is seen in two or more of the following areas: thinking, actions, relationships, or impulse control (or lack of it). Many people with this disorder don’t seek out treatment as they often do not feel that there is something unusual or wrong with their behaviour and thoughts. This pattern is stable and of long duration, and its onset can be traced back to early adulthood or late adolescence.

In fact, most individuals with NPD are diagnosed after the age of 18 because one needs to remember that most teens are still exploring their identity, especially those aged 12-16 years. This is why we do not include teens when talking about narcissism. Teens go through a phase of self-centeredness known as Adolescent Egocentrism – which was developed by child psychologist David Elkind. Some features of this behaviour and cognition at this age may be similar to what we find in NPD, like the grandiose sense self-importance and lack of empathy, however this does not mean that every teenager will develop NPD!

People with NPD, on the other hand often display snobbish, disdainful, or patronizing attitudes well beyond their developing teen years. For example, someone with this personality disorder may complain that a clumsy waiter is “rude” or “stupid”, or conclude a medical checkup with a condescending evaluation of the physician. However, the good news is that symptoms tend to decrease in intensity by the time one is in their 40s and 50s – especially if there is an early diagnosis.

A proper diagnosis for Narcissistic Personality Disorder is made by a mental health professional by comparing one’s symptoms and life history with those listed here. For a person to be diagnosed with NPD, they need to show 5 or more of following symptoms:

• Have a grandiose sense of self-importance
• Are preoccupied with fantasies of unlimited success, power, brilliance, beauty, or ideal love Believe that he or she is “special” and unique and can only be understood by, or should associate with, other special or high-status people (or institutions)
• Require excessive admiration to compensate for a lack of self-esteem
• Have a very strong sense of entitlement,
• Have manipulative tendencies towards others to achieve their own ends
• Lack empathy
• Are often envious of others or believes that others are envious of him or her
• Regularly show arrogant, superior  behaviors or attitudes

The rise in individualism in our society may cause us to be more prone to vanity, however, according to a study by Brent Roberts in 2017, millennials and older adults are almost equally likely to be diagnosed with Narcissistic Personality Disorder.

If you suspect that a close friend or relative that is above 18 years of age has half or more of these symptoms, encourage them to seek help from a professional and remember to be patient as they will not understand at first why they need to go to therapy. Although it can be more difficult to maintain a relationship with a person with Narcissistic Personality Disorder, it is important to remember that these are still people, at the end of the day. They just have a higher need for attention and reassurance. However, it is good to be realistic and assertive in any physical or conversational boundaries you wish to have with such an individual as this will give space for a more fruitful and productive dynamic.

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Yesterday’s panel varied vastly from medical experts to athletes and sports enthusiasts, who debated on whether the students’ personal wellbeing is being safeguarded at university. Despite the different backgrounds, the consensus reached was that UM needs to recognise the importance of exercise in students’ lives and prioritize their mental health.

The support systems in place at university such as the Degree+ hours and the student athlete support scheme are not sufficient. MMSA Public Health Officer Alex Esposito emphasised that “these schemes need to be translated to students at a recreational level”.

MHSA President Edward De Gabriele said that Degree+ hours for instance are frowned upon by Mater Dei lecturers, who sometimes unofficially schedule lectures at these times. Students are more supported by student organizations such as MUSC and Wolves RFC, rather than by UM itself.

Students are left to their own devices. Even when athletes get permission to miss lectures, National Footballer Andrew Hogg lamented that they do not get any substitute solution.

Whilst University remains preoccupied with how well students do in exams, its efforts our counterproductive. The link between exercise and thinking skills has been proven, and depriving us of the former will only deplete our academic performance.

With regards to mental health De Gabriele argued that despite the significant improvement, the counselling services introduced on campus are inefficient. For one, sessions are limited to 10 for less than extreme cases, and there are long waiting times after booking till the first appointment.

Psychologist Charlene Duca promoted the prevention of mental health issues by starting a conversation and reducing the stigma. Thankfully the number of different mental health campaigns is increasing.

UM has to promote this conversation as an institution to be at the forefront of this issue, Duca continued, and ease students into a speedy recovery or prevent the problem altogether. Esposito agreed, adding that lecturers should start the conversation and approach the issue internally by discussing mental health respective to different faculties.

Duca concluded that despite the justifiable pressure on the university, the change also has to come from the students to commit to a lifestyle change and integrate exercise within their day-to-day schedule.

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