Psychiatria Danubina and Challenges of the COVID-19 Pandemic: The Answer Is in the Knowledge, Empathy, Coherence and Global Ethics.

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic crisis is cruel but crucial lesson for the future of humankind. This crisis involves very complex events, complex in its origin, its spread, its effects and its consequences at multiple levels and fields with a big impact on people's mental health. On the other side, the quality of our individual, collective and public mental health is very important for successful fighting against the COVID-19 pandemic and infodemic. For a better public and global mental health we need a common background, common values and virtues on which we agree and follow them. Knowledge, ethics, empathy, coherence, solidarity, cooperation and unity are the key factors to long-term survival and flourishing of humankind. COVID-19 pandemic and infodemic can be effectively overcome only in spirit of common ethic and mutual empathy, respect, trust and public/global cooperation sowing the seeds for humanistic self, compassionate society and empathic civilization, rather than blaming, scapegoating and xenophobia. The Psychiatria Danubina focus is on expanding the world's collective knowledge and promoting mental health through the culture of empathy and global ethics.