L’AQUILA – “Our mission is to stay close to those who suffer, support them in the process of awareness of the pathology, assist families and people with psychological disorders. Unfortunately, there are more and more children and adolescents in need of care and assistance. Families and schools are not equipped, they often deny the pathology and the boy, the suffering girl, let themselves go into solitude. The association is present and continues its path of volunteering and constant stimulation towards inattentive and lazy institutions. “This is how the Hon Stefania Pezzopane, vice president of the Veronica Association, opened the public discussion, which was held at the Palazzetto dei Nobili in L’Aquila, on the psychological disorders of young and very young people. During the meeting, organized by the Veronica Gaia Di Orio association and moderated by Stefania Pezzopane, Professor Ferdinando Di Orio, President of the Association named after his daughter Veronica, was interviewed by the journalist and writer Angelo De Nicola.
A splendid interview that allowed us to delve into all the topics and the many corners of pain that mental pathologies bring with them. Numerous insights, the role of family and society, the role of school and the nihilism that pervades young people’s communities, amplified by the distorted use of social media. The association has become a point of reference for many families in the province of L’Aquila, and offers support and help, thanks also to the presence of competent psychologists on the staff and of Prof Di Orio himself who personally follows the children. “I have a very severe opinion of the current family” said Di Orio, “it is not authoritarian, but not even authoritative, it is unable to convince the children of what is good and what is bad. He runs away from responsibilities, prefers simple solutions and often denies his children’s mental problems, almost with shame. Thus it causes further damage and delays treatment which must instead be timely. “
The association has been active since 2017 and its reason for being is to promote scientific, cultural and social activities aimed at researching and combating youth depression, both in the identification of risk factors and in the definition and evaluation of preventive, curative and rehabilitative strategies.
The data is increasingly dramatic and bears witness to a growing phenomenon. Suicide is the fourth most common cause of death among adolescents between the ages of 15 and 19, the third if we consider only the female population.
Suicides which, however, are only the tip of the iceberg of complex phenomena involving addictions, depression, abuse, exclusion and social anxieties. All indicators are increasing but at the same time, Di Orio recalled, less and less investment is being made in schools and healthcare. The pressing questions of the journalist Angelo De Nicola allowed for a discussion that ranged across the board and ended with a hope for greater taking charge of the problem by all institutions. Institutions and volunteers must walk hand in hand and be ever closer to those who suffer from pathologies that are often masked and therefore so devastating. “
This is how the Association comments on the interesting and well-attended meeting held at the Palazzetto dei Nobili in L’Aquila and which had as its object “How to defend the world of children and young people (8/18 years) from psychological disorders”.
