Internet addition and the concerns over a ‘pandemic’ of rising mental health issues for both children and teeenagers were amongst the topics discussed at the “Wellbeingr Forum” held at Zappeion Megaron Athens on Monday, on occasion of World Mental Health Day.
Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis spoke at the “Wellbeingr Forum” and noted that “we are facing a new pandemic which concerns the mental health of children and teenagers,” before citing official data about the fact that six in ten teenagers in Greece are addicted to the internet.
“It is the very same teenagers who manifest anger, introversion, low self-esteem,” he continued, as “one in five children shows signs of complete resignation from daily activities: stuck in front of a screen, they practically do not exercise, they sleep only a little, irregularly, they do not eat properly.” Mitsotakis stressed that this is “very alarming data, which rings an enormous alarm bell.”
The prime minister pointed out that before a person’s condition reaches such a critical point, it is crucial “to encourage anyone to seek help when they feel stuck. Let’s finally banish the stigma that accompanies mental disorders,” emphasizing that no one should feel ashamed or embarrassed about seeking the help of a psychiatrist or a psychologist.
