There is no health without mental health, doctors say. The state of mental illness is influenced by personal or external factors. It reflects the situation in society, the economy, the environment. The European Union has faced a number of significant crises, including the health crisis a few years ago, Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine, the energy crisis, the inflation and all of these affect the population both from an economic perspective and from a psycho-emotional point of view. In this connection, addressing mental health challenges is essential. The impact of global crises on mental health and its remedy, the European initiative to strengthen capacities in the field of mental health and the alignment of the Republic of Moldova with this initiative, and also the reform of the Moldovan mental health system with the support of Romania, Switzerland and the Netherlands were among the issues discussed by experts invited to IPN’s public debate “European partnership in reforming the mental health system of the Republic of Moldova”.

Jana Chihai, head of the Department of Mental Health, Medical Psychology and Psychotherapy of the State University of Medicine and Pharmacy, said that both globally and nationally, mental disorders have gained momentum especially after the COVID-19 pandemic and have reached the agenda of many countries. “Mental and behavioral disorders in the Republic of Moldova affect about 70,000 people. For several decades now, depression has been on the first place among all the mental health problems and on the second place among all the diseases that humanity has experienced,” explained the president of the Society of Psychiatrists, Narcologists, Psychotherapists and Clinical Psychologists of the Republic of Moldova.

That’s why, says Jana Chihai, mental and behavioral disorders are a fairly important problem, which are generated by socio-determining factors. “Severe mental disorders, those mental health problems such as anxiety disorders, depressive disorders, acute stress reactions, post-traumatic disorders, psychogenic pain, have gained momentum and already depend on human progress and technical-scientific progress. The COVID-19 pandemic, in general, accelerated or intensified these problems and we are facing a lot of people who have complaints about mental health problems,” said the head of the Department of Mental Health, Medical Psychology and Psychotherapy of the State University of Medicine and Pharmacy.

President of the Romanian League for Mental Health Raluca Nica said that in Romania, the situation it is practically the same as in all the countries in Europe. “I can tell you that the incidences are almost the same, regardless of the nation and population. Of course, they will increase in vulnerable population areas, but events such as those mentioned – the COVID-19 pandemic and the war in Ukraine – clearly either led to the onset of mental disorders based on an existing vulnerability or to relapses in the case of those that were already stabilized, were treated. And that obviously led to an increase in the number of disorders, especially depressive and anxiety ones. This is also happening in Romania and, indeed, as a result of these events, the number of mental disorders in the population has grown,” stated Raluca Nica.

As far as the mental health reform is concerned, in Romania it started a little earlier than in the Republic of Moldova. “In 2002, the Mental Health Law appeared as until that year, Romania did not have a law on mental health. Since then, the reforms started to work because the law had to be implemented. This law had a very strong character oriented towards respecting the rights of patients with mental problems, knowing that, unfortunately, this category of patients is less able to defend these rights. This emphasis also came as an influence from the European Union because we, when we drafted the law, looked at the European models. The emphasis continues to be placed on human rights, on the rights of those who access mental health services – whether hospital or community ones,” said the president of the Romanian League for Mental Health.

Psychologist and psychotherapist Izabela Moroz, coordinator of the Calarasi Community Mental Health Center, said that there are always beneficiaries at their center. Lately, the incidence has been increasing as a result of all the unwanted and unpleasant situations, such as the COVID-19 pandemic, the war in Ukraine. “Clearly, we are put in a situation every time to be with our beneficiaries and to offer them support, to guide them in all the situations that arise as a result of stressful circumstances for them,” noted Izabela Moroz.

The coordinator of the Calarasi Community Mental Health Center stated that with the mental health reform, a lot of value to everything related to this system has been brought. “Our institution provides multidisciplinary services – medical assistance services, psycho-social rehabilitation services. We are specialists in different fields who work in a very good team and approach the beneficiary holistically. We work a lot with the family and the community. Obviously, the flow of beneficiaries has increased as a result of the opening of these services – the Community Mental Health Center. But it is gratifying that they ask for quality services, not only to be offered that drug treatment or to be diagnosed, but also to access rehabilitation services. I highly value family relationships, relationships with the community, social integration. We work a lot on promotion of mental health, on the inclusion of people with mental health problems in society. A lot of work is being done to combat the stigmatization and discrimination of these people,” said Izabela Moroz.

The public debate entitled “European partnership in reforming the mental health system of the Republic of Moldova” was the 12th installment of the project “Double integration through cooperation and information. Continuity”, funded by the Department for Relations with the Republic of Moldova. The content of this debate does not represent the official position of the Department for Relations with the Republic of Moldova.