Although it feels as though hardly any time has passed since many of us were enjoying the 2019 IASP World Congress in Derry-Londonderry, 2020 is drawing to a close. Whilst this year has seen many lows, there have also been some positive developments. Here are the IASP Early Career Group’s highlights of 2020.
Boys and Men
What 2020 has brought to the surface is the fragility of our mental health. And no one is immune. We’re seeing a decommissioning of the age-old stigma around mental health that perpetuates an ‘us’ vs. ‘them’ mentality, and instead witnessing how experiencing stress and anxiety is more the norm, a reflection of our common humanity, than an exception. It’s the great equaliser.
Suicide Prevention in Bhutan
Bhutan has launched its first suicide prevention program in 2015 (1) alongside its National Mental Health Program which was in existence since 1997 with an emphasis on building the capacity of primary health care workers in managing mental health and suicide prevention and improve accuracy of reporting.
IASP – Suicide Prevention During COVID-19
On October 14th 2020, thanks to IASP, we held our informal meeting of IASP national representatives. One of the opportunities that COVID-19 allows us is to practice online gathering since we cannot have conferences to meet and chat. Representatives from around the world gathered in a Zoom room to greet one another, share experiences, and start a process of brainstorming and collaboration.
