MENTAL HEALTH AND PSYCHOSOCIAL SUPPORT TO PROMOTE RESILIENCE IN CONTEXTS OF CRISIS AND VULNERABILITY
ISESCO organized, in partnership with the Policy Center for the New South, a webinar on June 25th, under the theme of “Mental Health and Psychosocial Support to Promote Resilience in Contexts of Crisis and Vulnerability”, part of the organization’s “Les Sociétés que Nous Voulons” initiative.
In this context, Mostafa El Rezrazi, clinical psychology expert and Senior fellow at the Policy Center for the New South, addressed the importance of differentiating between health and medical technicalities in order to implement good strategies and well address mental health issues. Additionally, he mentioned the importance of mental health in policy making in order to ensure development and productivity of individuals.
The clinical psychology expert also stressed on a review of most mental health guidelines that need amendments to fit the current circumstances. In order to illustrate his argument, he gives the example of Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and its symptoms’ evolution due to the actual health crisis. As a result, the World Health Organizations and clinical psychology experts sought to publish specific chapters about mental health in times of pandemics and epidemics.
Finally, in response to questions asked by the audience, Mostafa El Rezrazi draws comparison between the Fukushima experience and the covid19 pandemic in which the latter’s psychological consultation are mostly done online, anonymous and does not provide clinical treatment.