Thinking of psychiatric disorders as "normal" illness. Data from a questionnaire on social stigma: a multicenter study.

Prejudice and stigma about mental illness is still present in society. Patients suffer both from the disease, and from the marginalization behavior exhibited by others towards them and their families. Psychiatric professionals may also become ill and suffer for the same reason. The authors of this international multicenter study have set themselves the question of whether there may be prejudice and/or stigma among psychiatric professionals towards their suffering colleagues, among patients towards nursing staff affected by the same disease and between patients themselves. Using two standardized questionnaires which have been tested, but have not been used before they have studied 207 mental health professionals and 407 patients, of Italian, Belgian, Hungarian and Croatian nationalities. The results show that there are in fact prejudices among Mental Health Professionals about colleagues suffering from mental illness because they responded that such persons cannot treat well patients with their own pathology. However Mental Health Professionals do not demonstrate behaviors which are not frankly marginalizing or stigmatizing towards colleagues suffering from mental illness. On the other hand, among patients the prevailing view was that psychiatric professionals who suffer from mental illness, can better understand the sick, because they are also suffering. This is in analogy with the Jungian theory of the "wounded healer" in the myth of the centaur Chiron. Patients did not demonstate rejection or marginalization behavior towards other sick patients. Finally both the professionals and the patients tend to be cautious in relating to healthy persons and tend not to disclose their suffering for fear of being misjudged or marginalized.

"Dance and go on": a project of psychosocial rehabilitation on the road.

The project "Dance and go on" was created with the intention of bringing out of the Day Centre of the Department of Mental Health of Torre del Greco, the dance group "Dance That you go" active since 2009. Dancing Bachata becomes a rehabilitation tool to express emotions through the body and to open to the outside, on the territory (local society), overcoming the fear of being judged by others, the prejudice and the social stigma about mental illness. The rehabilitation activities of the dancing group allowed patients to improve their care of self, self-esteem, confidence in their capacities and an increase in their social relations. The strength and cohesion of the rehabilitation group has given to the patients the opportunity to believe in their own abilities, to accept themselves with their difficulties and to improve the relationship with their body in relation with each other.

A questionnaire to assess social stigma.

Psychiatric patients often suffer for two reasons: due to the illness and due to the social stigma of mental illness, that increases the uneasiness and psychic pain of the person suffering from serious psychiatric disorder. This unwell person is often the object of stigma because he is "different" from others, and he also can be margenalised by society. In this study we intend to assess whether these margenalising attitudes might be also present among mental health professionals who have presented psychic problems in a previous period of their life, against sick persons suffering of the same illness even if he is a mental health professional. Two questionnaires have been developed, one for professionals and another for the patients, with the aim of identifying these marginalising attitudes. We intend that this study shall be a multicenter, observational and international study, promoted by the Mental Health Dept. of Naples (ASL Naples 3 South, Italy).

The advantages of "Dance-group" for psychotic patients.

Psychosocial rehabilitation and in particular group dances allow the recovery of lost or compromised ability of patients with mental illness, and they facilitate their reintegration into the social context. The dance group has enabled users of the Day Centre of the Unit of Mental Health Torre del Greco ASL NA 3 south to achieve the objectives of rehabilitation such as: taking care of themselves, of their bodies and their interests, improving self-esteem , the management of pathological emotions, socialization and integration, overcoming the psychotic closing and relational isolation. In particular, patients with schizophrenia, psychotic and mood disorders had a concrete benefit from such rehabilitation activities, facilitating interpersonal relationships, therapy compliance and significantly improved mood, quality of life, providing them with the rhythm and the security in their relationship with each other. The dance group and for some individuals, also psychotherapy and drug therapy, have facilitated social inclusion, improved the quality of life and cured their diseases. The work is carrying out in a group with patients, practitioners, family members, volunteers, social community workers, following the operating departmental protocols. Using the chorus group "Sing that you go" as an operational tool for psychosocial rehabilitation and therapeutic element we promote the psychological well-being and the enhancement of mood.

The singing-group: a new therapic rehabilitation for mood desorders.

Psychosocial rehabilitation, and choral singing in particular, allow the recovery of lost or compromised ability of patients with mental illness and they facilitate the reintegration of the user in his family and into his social context. The choral singing, used as an operational tool for psychosocial rehabilitation, allowed users of the Day Centre of the Unit of Mental Health Torre del Greco ASL NA 3 South to achieve concrete goals of rehabilitation: improvement of self-care and self-esteem, the management of emotions, the growing of their interests, the integration and socialization overcoming the isolation of their mental suffering. In particular patients with mood disorders have been significantly benefited from the rehabilitation activity. They improved their mood and all the related diseases and the quality of their life with the result of a positive therapeutic implication. The singing group and for some individuals, also psychotherapy and drug therapy, have allowed users to improve their lives and give them a concrete integration into the society. Working in a group with patients, caregivers, family members, volunteers, social workers allowed a consolidated rehabilitation with the passing of time.Using the chorus group "Sing that you go" as an operational tool for psychosocial rehabilitation and therapeutic element we promote the psychological well-being and the enhancement of mood.