In the framework of World Mental Health Day, celebrated every October 10th, the importance of psychological well-being is highlighted as one of the main concerns of current society. With the slogan “Not all help is good help,” the Konecta Foundation along with Fad Juventud have launched a new initiative aimed at young people, in order to expand the reach of SIOF Joven, a free service designed to inform, guide, and support those experiencing psychological distress.
The daily life of many people is marked by experiences of stress, anxiety, or the search for meaning, which, according to the World Health Organization (WHO), affect one in four people throughout their life. The Covid-19 pandemic has been a key factor, increasing concern for mental health by 45% in Spain, raising it from 16% to 61%, according to the Ipsos Global Health Service Monitor 2023 study. This significant increase positions the country as a leader in awareness of this issue in the past three years.
The Konecta Foundation, in collaboration with Fad Juventud, focuses on addressing this social emergency through SIOF Joven. This service, started in 2020 during the global health crisis, has already received over 2,500 consultations from young people aged 15 to 29, seeking guidance on various risk behaviors. In particular, anxiety has been the predominant theme, accounting for 54.5% of consultations in the last year, representing a 44.2% increase compared to the previous year.
SIOF Joven takes a comprehensive approach to help, offering emotional guidance, information about programs and activities from various entities, as well as strategies to manage symptoms of anxiety and depression. The service is offered confidentially and for free, through calls, video conferences, and WhatsApp, thus adapting to the specific needs of its young users.
This year, the campaign aims to expand its impact to reach more young people who can benefit from the support they offer. Graciela de la Morena, director of the Konecta Foundation, emphasizes that the goal is to provide young people with an opportunity to receive help safely and confidentially, allowing them to feel heard and understood. In this line, Beatriz Martín Padura, director of Fad Juventud, highlights the increase in anxiety among young people as a warning sign that requires strengthening the emotional support they so desperately need.
In this way, in an increasingly aware society of the importance of mental health, actions like those promoted by the Konecta Foundation and Fad Juventud are crucial to provide the new generations with the necessary tools to face their emotional and social challenges, establishing a path towards a stronger and more accessible psychological well-being for all.
Referrer: MiMub in Spanish
