«Do you feel like your mind is working well like this?» «Yes.» Emilio Casalini, host of Generazione Bellezza, a television program broadcast on Rai 3 and now in its fifth season, in the episode "An Antidote Called Culture" on July 9, 2025, asks the question to a very young interlocutor, who is part of one of the groups of students involved in the project activities discussed in the episode of the program. These activities are carried out by the University of Chieti-Pescara, along with schools and political and cultural institutions, including the Municipality and the La Rocca Foundation, to care for the mental health of young people, with the goals of prevention and treatment.
The data reported on the current mental health situation are alarming: 16 million Italians suffer from mental health problems, 75% of whom experienced the onset of their disorders before the age of 25. Currently, there is excessive use of anxiolytics and antidepressants among young people, which—as Dr. Casalini points out—is causing significant mental health problems. Marco Alessandrini, director of the Chieti Mental Health Center, interviewed by Casalini, explains that «they address the symptoms, and unfortunately, they do not address the causes of health problems such as anxiety and depression, which are so widespread among young people.»
A growing number of scientific studies demonstrate the positive impact of art and culture experiences on people's well-being. Among these studies is a series of studies conducted by an international working group established by the World Health Organization, which will likely be published in the journal "The Lancet" towards the end of the year. This is anticipated by Professor Pierluigi Sacco, Professor of Biobehavioral Economics at the University of Chieti-Pescara, a member of the international working group, and one of the key figures in the educational and cultural projects currently underway in Pescara to address youth mental health.
A key reference model for these initiatives is the Pre-texts method, developed by Doris Sommer, Professor of Romance Languages and Literatures at Harvard University, a professor deeply committed to the «civic mission of the humanities» (https://rll.fas.harvard.edu/people/doris-sommer).
The beneficial impact of art and culture on psychological and physical well-being can provide guidance in the broad, complex, and timely reflection on what it means to be human.
The episode of Generazione Bellezza, "An Antidote Called Culture," July 9, 2025
Correlations: narrative, literature, art, in relation to cognitive neuroscience and other scientific and disciplinary studies
To try to understand the place of art in human life.
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An Antidote Called Culture - "Generazione Bellezza" episode of July 9, 2025
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