Adnkronos Rome, October 10 (Adnkronos Salute) – One in four Italians lives with a mental disorder. Fifty percent of these begin before age 15, and 80% by age 18. In Europe, over 20% of young people between the ages of 15 and 29 experience symptoms of anxiety or depression. Thirty-seven percent of European adolescents feel under constant pressure to achieve excellent academic results, and over 60,000 Italian students between the ages of 11 and 17 exhibit tendencies toward social isolation.
46,2% of Italian students experience anxiety when entering the classroom, and only 20,4% feel motivated. Mental disorders are the second leading cause of years lived with disability (YLD) in our country, with 2.622 years lost per 100 inhabitants. The OECD estimates that their economic cost is equivalent to 4,1% of European GDP – over €600 billion per year – while according to Eurofound (2023), the average per capita cost of mental disorders is €1.190 per EU citizen per year. Every euro invested in mental health generates a return of €4,7 in terms of productivity and well-being. Yet public healthcare spending on mental health in Italy remains at 3,4% of the total, among the lowest in Europe (France 15%, Germany 11,3%, United Kingdom 10,3%). In the workplace, nearly half of young workers (47,7%) report stress or burnout. Serious challenges remain: staff shortages, long waiting lists, significant regional inequalities, and persistent stigma.
From these data comes "Sorry to Bother You" (Laurana Editore), the new book by Francesco Caroli and Scilla Chirizzi, in bookstores starting today, October 10, World Mental Health Day. A narrative and civic journey that intertwines personal stories, data, and reflections to restore mental health to its deepest meaning: a common good. At its center is a bench: a simple and universal place, a symbol of listening and encounter, of solitude and closeness. Mothers, adolescents, adults, and the elderly sit on that bench; people experiencing moments of crisis, but also those who choose to listen, care for, and welcome each day. Their voices intertwine with those of over 20 experts—neuroscientists, psychiatrists, psychologists, sociologists, school administrators, architects, and labor and social professionals—who offer expert insights into the different stages of life, from childhood to old age, giving voice to science meeting experience and suggesting concrete solutions for understanding how the brain is built and maintained over time.
"Mental health is not a luxury or a niche topic. It is the foundation of living together. Our book was born from the desire to break the silence and restore dignity to fragility, reminding us that asking for help is not a sign of weakness, but of strength," say authors Francesco Caroli and Scilla Chirizzi. Alongside the stories and perspectives of experts, "Sorry to Bother You" proposes a genuine agenda for change: a national mental health leadership, increased prevention in schools, strengthening local services, and recognizing the role of municipalities and the third sector. The book's ultimate vision, according to a press release, is to build the longest bench in the world: a society capable of welcoming everyone and creating spaces for connection and proximity. A culture of care that begins with prevention and the shared management of risk factors. Like the longest bench in Italy, made of hundreds of planks and screws, mental health is also a collective effort: each of us is a piece of that bench that, only together, can support the weight and beauty of being human.