The 10th October marks the 33rd World Mental Health Day, promoted by the World Federation for Mental Health. The theme of the 2024 edition, ‘It is Time to Prioritise Mental Health in the Workplace’, highlights the importance of promoting mental wellbeing in professional settings, a priority supported by the scientific community and activists in the field.

People with mental health problems and psychosocial disabilities also face reduced life expectancy compared to the general population, often due to issues with their physical health. A study conducted by the Psychiatric Clinic at the University of Trieste and lead by Prof. Umberto Albert, President of the Italian Society of Psychiatry (FVG section), revealed that a significant proportion of patients from Trieste’s Mental Health Centres do not regularly participate in regional cancer screening programmes, risking late diagnosis and serious consequences.

Stigma remains a significant obstacle, limiting access to essential care and negatively affecting its quality. Discrimination and harmful stereotypes within families, schools and workplaces can prevent people from forming healthy relationships, hinder social interaction and block inclusive environments necessary for the well-being of every member of society.

It is crucial that the right to optimal mental health is recognised as a basic human right and that all countries commit to ensuring universal access to mental health services. Additionally, access to better living conditions, safety, food and shelter are necessary for people's mental health and a universal right for all citizens of the world.

The University of Trieste participates in World Mental Health Day by lighting the façade of the Central Building in green, the symbolic colour of good mental health. This initiative is part of a nationwide network of solidarity and awareness-raising that will see the illumination of monuments and important public buildings across Italy, many of them institutional headquarters, thanks to the mobilisation launched throughout the country by the Italian Society of Psychiatry.