Globally, the incidence of mental health suffering is on the rise, while psychiatry appears increasingly unable to address what is becoming a syndemic, rather than a pandemic. The times we live in are marked by a profound sense of instability and insecurity: the changing climate, rising cost of living, and job precarity highlight the failure of politics to address people’s needs during this challenging historical period. Additionally, psychiatric institutions tend to favor a medicalized approach over social models for mental health intervention. Social and political conditions are often overlooked in the diagnostic and treatment processes, and investments in preventive programs, especially in marginalized contexts, remain insufficient. In response to these challenges, grassroots movements are emerging, particularly in informal contexts emphasizing mutual aid and political activism. Social movements, through the creation of social clinics and mutual aid groups, not only respond to the needs of marginalized populations but also lay the foundation for a critique of current economic and social health policies. In the present work, we explored and studied the experience of Brigata Basaglia, which is unique and noteworthy. Brigata Basaglia was formed during the COVID-19 pandemic in Milan and now operates in Florence and Pavia as well. The group is informal and composed not only by psychologists and social workers but also activists without direct involvement in mental health professions. The core idea behind this initiative is that mental health is not merely a clinical issue but also a political and community-based concern. Using semi-structured interviews and visual methodology (photography), the study explores the role of activism in promoting a political perspective on mental health, both within communities and institutions. It also examines the impact that social clinic interventions can have on clinical practices and research.
Campanella, E., Cavazzoni, F., Veronese, G. (2025). The role of social movements in supporting community mental health: a qualitative case study in Italy.. Intervento presentato a: 8th European Congress of Qualitative Inquiry. Hope, Humility and Playfulness in a Precarious World, Edinburgh, Scotland, UK.
The role of social movements in supporting community mental health: a qualitative case study in Italy.
Campanella E. G.
;Cavazzoni F.;Veronese, G.
2025
Abstract
Globally, the incidence of mental health suffering is on the rise, while psychiatry appears increasingly unable to address what is becoming a syndemic, rather than a pandemic. The times we live in are marked by a profound sense of instability and insecurity: the changing climate, rising cost of living, and job precarity highlight the failure of politics to address people’s needs during this challenging historical period. Additionally, psychiatric institutions tend to favor a medicalized approach over social models for mental health intervention. Social and political conditions are often overlooked in the diagnostic and treatment processes, and investments in preventive programs, especially in marginalized contexts, remain insufficient. In response to these challenges, grassroots movements are emerging, particularly in informal contexts emphasizing mutual aid and political activism. Social movements, through the creation of social clinics and mutual aid groups, not only respond to the needs of marginalized populations but also lay the foundation for a critique of current economic and social health policies. In the present work, we explored and studied the experience of Brigata Basaglia, which is unique and noteworthy. Brigata Basaglia was formed during the COVID-19 pandemic in Milan and now operates in Florence and Pavia as well. The group is informal and composed not only by psychologists and social workers but also activists without direct involvement in mental health professions. The core idea behind this initiative is that mental health is not merely a clinical issue but also a political and community-based concern. Using semi-structured interviews and visual methodology (photography), the study explores the role of activism in promoting a political perspective on mental health, both within communities and institutions. It also examines the impact that social clinic interventions can have on clinical practices and research.
I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.
