Sitting in the sun, outside a cafe decorated with simple furniture and colorful textiles, Tuka Sarni is delighted to be in a country at the top of the UN happiness rankings for the second year running.
"I'm very happy right now," says the 19-year-old Finn, who has recently finished high school and is about to start working at a grocery store, waiting for a job.
In fact, he categorizes his happiness levels as 10 out of 10, stressing that none of his friends have suffered depression. “Our life is going well,” he says. "We have good weather at least sometimes, good education and good health care."
The national culture that supports spending time alone as well as with friends is something he also values, along with the stunning nature of Finland and low levels of unemployment. "There are a lot of jobs," he says. "If you are ready to go and look for a job, I think everyone can get a job."
This type of markup, coupled with high levels of trust, security and high equality, explains Finland's sometimes controversial position in global happiness rankings.
The small North European country, with a population of only 5.5 million, has historically been conceived as a "grief mentality" associated with long, dark winters, a place where joy and other positive emotions are not regularly seen. However, like its Scandinavian neighbors, Finland has the most personal well-being, compared to all over the world.
Ongoing challenges
Many experts argue that this image of Finland as a happy country ignores persistent challenges when it comes to mental health, especially when it comes to youth. Some believe it may be difficult for Finns to recognize and recognize depressive symptoms and then seek treatment.
Suicide rates in Finland are half as high as in the 1990s and have shrunk in all age groups, a shift linked to a nationwide suicide prevention campaign when things were at their worst, and improved treatment for depression, but still well above the European average.
A third of deaths among people aged 15-24 are caused by suicide.According to the 2018 report, drafted by the Nordic Council of Ministers and the Happiness Research Institute in Copenhagen, 16% of Finnish women between the ages of 18 and 23, and 11% of males, They said they were "struggling" or "suffering" in life. This level is worse for people 80 or older.
The last in-depth study of depression nationwide was in 2011, but a non-profit organization called Millie estimates that about 20% of young people under 30 have experienced depressive symptoms last year.
“It's common,” says Juhu Mertanen, a psychologist at the organization. "There are signs of a possible rise, although this is not a big increase, as some media have shown here."
A 2017 report by the Nordic Center for Social Issues and Welfare highlighted the close links between drug abuse and poor mental health, noting that Finns consume more alcohol than their northern neighbors. There has also been an increase in drug use in the 25-34 age group. While unemployment across the country remained low, it was much higher among young people.
Global changes
Myrtanen agrees that the labor market in Finland plays a role when it comes to mental health issues among young people, because "there is a lot of uncertainty these days." While Finland is a financially stable country by international standards, inequality is growing.
He pointed out that Finland is experiencing global changes in the field of digital technology, which is beginning to play a role in discussions about mental health among young people throughout the Western world. "The world is becoming more complex. The economy is changing. There are less stable jobs, then jobs, then retirement."
He explains that social media can have an impact on the mental health of young people in Finland and elsewhere. He rushes to point out that extensive long-term research into the impact of Instagram and Facebook, for example, is still limited.
Finland's image as a place where people are expected to be satisfied with life could exacerbate the negative impact of these global trends on young Finns, who do not feel their experiences match the stereotype. “Happiness research and social media seem to feed,” he says. On the black and white world view of the depressed mind. ”
"You almost feel that you don't have the right to be depressed when you live in a country like Finland, where the standard of living is very high," says Kersi Marja, 34. "You feel you should only enjoy all the possibilities you have while you are still young," says the young woman who was first diagnosed with depression as a teenager and fought the disease for her 20s. The community can also give you that feeling. ”
"In Finland, you feel that everything should be fine, even though it is not," agrees John Guntura, a 27-year-old junior doctor who was depressed.
• 20% of young people under 30 have experienced depressive symptoms last year.
Incomplete novel
Junior physician John Guntura points out that while difficult personal and societal events are often associated with depression, such as separations or economic stagnation, the disease can affect people regardless of their standard of living. The world according to statistics, but the story is not told in full, because depression is a disease and is not always linked to circumstances ».
"The moment I got sick, everything was fine in my life," the young doctor recalls. I really enjoyed my school. I loved my hobbies. "My relationship is good, so there was nothing dramatically wrong in my life, but nevertheless, I got sick."
The government supports treatment in public clinics. Archival
Stain
Most mental health experts agree that cases of depression and anxiety have begun to decline in Finland, especially since the anti-suicide campaign began. This has contributed to an increase in the number of people seeking treatment, making it difficult to compare depression rates over the years and across age groups.
But many young Finns who have suffered from depression, including Kersi Marja, 34, believe there is still a stigma attached to anyone known to be "depressed". "It depends on the kind of social circles you're in or maybe where you live." In Finland, how people talk freely about these things. "Certainly taboos still exist," Marja says.
In a culture where privacy is valued, talk of feelings is rare, and even friendly conversations are usually minimal. Recognizing and discussing depression can still be a challenge for some Finns with the disease. "It's not just a stereotype," says doctor John Guntura. Now he treats his depressed patients and argues that young people in Finland can find it very difficult to articulate what is going on. "Mental health problems are still linked to weakness, and in masculine culture, some feel it is difficult to admit that they feel so much."
When it comes to getting help for depression, local authorities are responsible for mental health services, which are heavily subsidized by taxes, meaning that, as in other Nordic countries with strong welfare systems, people with mental health problems should not, in theory, , To struggle for help or financial suffering. However, in recent years there have been ongoing political discussions about long waiting lists in major cities, access to treatment for patients in remote areas, and management of care for adolescents as they move into adulthood.
Young people in Finland find it difficult to express their mental problems. Archival
• Talk about feelings is rare in a culture where privacy is valued, and even friendly talk is minimal.
Digital therapeutic platform
Early intervention is crucial to recovery, especially among young people who experience depression for the first time; in terms of mental health, usually if a person does not get help early, there is plenty of time. , The deeper hole will be somehow.
One tool that has gained increasing popularity in recent years is the online “Mental Health Forum” platform, established by Gregory Goff and Mate Holly at the University of Helsinki Central Hospital, as a response to fragmented mental health services, and to address the need for treatment across densely rural rural countries. Low population.
The platform, now used by all regions, provides information about treatment areas, self-help tools and even video therapy sessions for people with mild to moderate depression. There is also a national crisis hotline operated by Finland Mental Health.
At the same time, a nationwide public petition calling for anyone seeking help on the mental health issue to receive short psychiatric intervention in less than a month has attracted more than 50,000 signatures, the minimum required for an initiative debated in parliament.
Finnish Minister for Family Affairs and Social Services Krista Kjuru supports the initiative, which politicians are scheduled to discuss later this year. The annual cost of this “guarantee of treatment” initiative is estimated at 35 million euros.
The Mental Health Forum provides information on where to go. Archival
• 50,000 signatures on a public petition for those seeking mental health assistance.