| Abstract |
The present research paper revolves around three critical issues that concern the entire psychiatric community. As the medical model of mental health evolves, gaps are observed in the structural characteristics of communities based on exclusion and discrimination. It is not uncommon for the term "stigma" to be associated with mental illness and thus the exclusion of individuals experiencing mental difficulties. Addressing this social issue is a cornerstone of psychiatric reform, which in turn is an evolving and never-ending process as social changes do not cease but instead multiply. Under these conditions, the community experiencing psychosocial difficulties is called upon, beyond treatment, to strive for social and occupational reintegration. At this point, the present work, structured with qualitative characteristics, aims to investigate the experience of the community of individuals experiencing psychosocial difficulties concerning social reintegration and professional rehabilitation in the Municipality of Rethymno. Therefore, it is reasonable that the research questions target precisely these two themes, with the additional theme of stigma and destigmatization, which are considered central to the success or failure of psychosocial rehabilitation. It is important to note that in the effort for mentally ill individuals to return to the community, it is not solely their responsibility to achieve this, but rather a need to create and maintain an inclusive social framework with - ideally - zero tolerance for exclusion. The Municipality of Rethymno, considered a small town, has its center extending over a small geographic area, while simultaneously being characterized by strong family and social relationships. At the same time, multiple mental health organizations are observed in the same community, with their positive and deficient aspects, a fact that does not correlate with the low observation of stigmatization. In this research, stigma appears to be a major barrier to the reintegration of individuals, while an impressive finding is that individuals have developed strong resilience against labeling. Additionally, it is observed that individuals take various measures to achieve social reintegration, which they mark as self-care, acceptance, socialization/social interaction, and social participation, as well as therapy and health. Equally important is the fact that participants place particular value on work, recognizing it as a means of avoiding relapses but also as a way of personal advancement, improvement, and self-confidence.
This study reached these conclusions using an original and continuously evolving research tool, the Photovoice method, based on the adage "People depict what they experience." More specifically, it is a method that aims to transfer the presentation of the experience into the hands of the participants, while the researcher acts as a supportive framework and organizer of the activity. The goal is to convey the pure experience with as little leakage and as few filters as possible from the researcher. The process involves taking photographs (respecting everyone's personal data and ethical codes) that reflect the individuals' experiences regarding each pre-structured theme. After collecting the images, qualitative research follows with semi-structured interviews to evaluate specific thematic axes that arise during the research and to create captions that will both explain and frame the image. The work is structured in two main parts as follows: a) the first major part concerns the theoretical background on mental health, mental illness, reintegration, rehabilitation, stigma, psychiatric reform, and mental health units, while b) the second chapter includes the entire research (from the explanation of the methodological framework to the results).
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