The Member of the European Parliament and Co-Chairman of the Mental Health Alliance in the European Parliament Alex Agius Saliba this morning launched the campaign “Recharge Your Brain... Stay Sane”. He is leading this campaign in collaboration with Gamian Europe, the European alliance gathering European NGOs (including the Richmond Foundation) working with patients experiencing mental health difficulties.

Agius Saliba claimed that in these difficult times for the world due to the spread of COVID-19, there is a real risk of mental health related problems and he is therefore taking this campaign forward so that everyone is aware of his responsibility and these risks among the most vulnerable in our society are reduced.

Over the following days, through this campaign Agius Saliba will be delivering a number of positive messages on the subject, with the aim of helping those in need and creating a more sensible climate towards mental health issues at these times.

He said that one of the greatest problems for mental health is loneliness and therefore said that we should be caring more for people living alone by trying to keep regular contact with them in these times.

Agius Saliba stressed that a major problem affecting these people during these difficult times is that of fake news, which is unfortunately being shared on social media such as Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. He stated that at this time, we should be using social platforms to spread positive material which does not to create even more anxiety and a negative environment.

In conclusion, MEP Agius Saliba said that in this situation, everyone has a role to play to prevent further mental health problems.