News

Depression is not a taboo for students

The Wemenders Foundation launched the "Depresja to nie tabu" project. This project is a series of open, free lectures on depression, addressed to students and teaching staff at universities across the country. The main objective of the program is to raise the awareness of young people about the civilization disease which is depression, and which increasingly affects this social group. An important part of the project are also lectures addressed to the teaching staff and improving their competencies in the area of taking care of the students' psychological well-being. Those Universities that want to participate in this noble initiative, will be honored with a "Uczelnia Wrażliwa" (Sensitive University) certificate. This distinction is awarded to institutions that are particularly concerned with the well-being of their students.

The first pilot lecture took place on December 1 at the School of Banking in Toruń. The lecture was conducted by experienced psychologists and psychotherapists, and combined the presentation of the theory and the workshops for participants. The theoretical part familiarized the audience with basic information about depression, recognizing its symptoms and the causes among young people. Participants also had the opportunity to learn about practical methods of dealing with sick people, to learn how to reformulate negative thoughts into positive ones, and to try relaxation methods. The knowledge gained during the lecture will help students notice the first signs of depression, both in case of themselves and people in their environment.

In January 2013, there will be more lectures in the series "Depresja to nie tabu" including Gdańsk, Poznań and Wrocław. More information coming soon.