On November 21st (Saturday) at 16:30, the annual conference of the project “LIKE – Investing in life is the key to employment” will be held. In order to comply with the anti-epidemic safety measures, the event will be held online, live on social networks.
Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, the topic of young people’s mental health is more relevant than ever.
- Adverse social and economic impacts of physical distancing, quarantine and isolation;
- Stress related to the fear that family members, friends or themselves will get sick/infected;
- Loneliness, anxiety and sadness complicated by physical distance measures;
- Stigmatization – especially for people infected with the virus;
- Financial uncertainty and challenges in accessing basic needs;
- Relationship tensions and domestic violence related to home confinement;
- Difficult access to health, public and social support;
- Stress related to uncertainty about the duration of the pandemic, vulnerability to infection, physical differentiation measures and the long-term effects of social and economic turmoil, both locally and globally;
- Stress as a result of increased media coverage (news of increased risk may increase anxiety; social media can be a source of misinformation).
The experts from the LIKE Project – specialists in the field of psychiatry, political science and clinical psychology, will talk about the topic.
Program:
Introduction – Albena Drobachka, LIKE project manager
16:35 “History and perspective of world pandemics”
- The Justinian plague / VI century /.
- The Black Death / XIV century /.
- The Spanish flu / 1918-1920 /.
- Kovid-19.
Lecturer – Prof. Vladimir Chukov, LIKE project expert, political scientist, lecturer
16:55 “Loneliness and social isolation during the COVID-19 pandemic”
- Influence of loneliness on mental health.
- Impact of social isolation in infectious disease.
- Guidelines for policies and programs to reduce the effects of loneliness and social exclusion among young people.
Lecturer – Dr. Yuri Katsarov, project psychologist, head of the “Consultative Activity” department at the PIC on drug problems
5:15 pm “The situation as a result of COVID-19, mental health and unemployment”
- Youth unemployment.
- Mental problems in young people.
Lecturer – Assoc. Prof. Dr. Hristo Hinkov, psychiatrist at the project, director of the National Center for Public Health and Analysis
5:35 pm “Hidden Likes House – a place for creation and belonging”
- Group activities with animals, arts, sports.
- Institutional psychotherapy.
- Psychosocial rehabilitation.
Lecturer – Elka Bozhkova, psychologist at the LIKE project, Alexandrovska University Hospital, Psychiatric Clinic
Anyone can join and ask their questions to the experts. No pre-registration required. More information and a link to the event can be found on the LIKE project Facebook page.