The second edition of the European Mental Health Week is taking place from 10 – 16 May 2021 in order to raise awareness about mental health issues. Even before the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, 84 million Europeans were dealing with mental health problems. Due to the pandemic, the situation worsened considerably, with illnesses such as depression, anxiety or sleep disturbances being on the rise. Mental Health Europe (MHE), the organisation hosting the themed week, aims to reconcile shedding a light on mental health as a general issue in our society as well as on the deeply personal effects the pandemic has on each individual.
Over the course of the last year, lockdowns and restrictions have had dire consequences for people’s well-being. While the physical repercussions of a COVID-19 infection are naturally a serious public health issue, the mental effects of the pandemic cannot be neglected. The experiences can vary a lot according to personal circumstances and varying factors, but it is safe to say that our mental health matters now more than ever. Therefore, MHE chose the slogan “Mental Health Matters” in order to host this year’s European Mental Health Week. It is the occasion to come together virtually and talk about mental well-being, exchange personal stories and find ways to cope with this difficult situation together.
If you want to learn more about mental health issues in one of your working languages, we recommend you checking out the Speech Repository. There you will find numerous speeches in the domain ‘Health’ with some focusing on psychological aspects. You could for example choose to practise your interpreting skills with a speech on the subject of depression in English, Spanish, Italian or even Mandarin. However, if you feel like these topics might trigger you or make you feel a certain unease, feel free to skip these speeches and remember that there are many other domains on the Speech Repository!
Happy practice and remember to take care of yourselves,
Your Speech Repository Team