Rotary Club of Genoa South West, meeting on youth hardship

Rotary Club of Genoa South West, meeting on youth hardship and its consequences.

The Rotary Club Genoa South West, in collaboration with theSanto Martino Association, invited citizens to a meeting on youth hardship and its consequences. The evening, which took place at the Eugenio Montale Auditorium at the Carlo Felice Theater, saw the active participation of the community.

The event began with the screening of the short film «Mi Vedete?» was created within the project adolescentsSCIENCE from Lundbeck Italia in collaboration with Havas Life.

Written by screenwriter Manlio Castagna and directed by director Alessandro Riccardi, it was created with the scientific support of a Scientific Board of clinicians to stimulate discussion on depression among young people, the incidence of which has doubled compared to the period before the COVID-19 pandemic , taking on the characteristics of a true social emergency.

The film tells the story of Dafne, a sixteen-year-old who suffers from depression manifested through social isolation, restlessness and self-harm. Her condition is symbolized by a shadow that follows her everywhere, invisible to her parents, who are unprepared to recognize her.

The shadow causes Dafne irritability, a sense of inadequacy, oppression and fear of the future, leading her to attempt suicide. Thanks to the help of experts, both Dafne and her parents learn to recognize and deal with depression, putting the girl on the path to recovery.

Professor Marta Riotti, professor of Literature at the San Giorgio Institute in Genoa, a branch of Camogli, introduced and explained the debate, illustrating in a clear and simple way the various anxieties and hardships of young people, victims of depression and loneliness.

His speech prepared the ground for the contribution of numerous experts on the main issues relating to the mental health of adolescents and depression which can lead to suicide.

Among the speakers present, the following spoke: Prof. Linda Alfano, Sociologist. “Boundaries, myths and the care of today’s adolescents”. Prof. Mario Amore, Psychiatrist. “From discomfort to depression”. Prof. Gianluca Serafini, Psychiatrist. “Young adolescence and suicidal behavior”. Dr. Cesare Maria Calabrese, Psychoanalyst. “Adolescents’ requests for help and adolescent psychotherapy”. Dr. Marco Cesare Calabrese, Clinical Psychologist. “Adolescence and identity: a journey of discovery across the world”.

Comparison between speakers, teachers, students and parents.

As the evening continued, teachers, parents and students shared their experiences, enriching the debate with personal testimonies. Some mothers spoke of their children’s difficulties, one mother explained, her daughter’s discomfort and suicide attempts.

The meeting highlighted the challenges that young people face today, in a context where both parents often work and are busy, leaving their children alone and isolated. Smartphones, used almost exclusively as a means of communication with the outside world, contribute to slowing down school learning and the lack of dialogue.

The initiative of the Rotary Club of Genoa South West and the Santo Martino Association opened up a valuable space for discussion, actively involving all those present and raising awareness in the community on the topic of youth distress and mental health. Antonio Bovetti