2023-10-06 09:00:39
The therapeutic benefits of music can be found both physically and emotionally. For this reason, and on the occasion of World Mental Health Day, October 10, the ANAED Foundation, Singerhood and Janssen have organized a massive concert featuring the choir ‘The Voice of the Patient’, to which almost 1,000 voices are added. more to raise awareness about depression.
The ‘Patient’s Voice’ choir, made up of patients and mental health professionals, volunteers and friends, joins, within the framework of the Mental Health Day, October 10al Coro Singerhood, al Chorus and European Youth Orchestra of Madrid (OJEM) and the singer Nena Daconte so that together, more than a thousand voices can vindicate, in a concert, the importance of talk about depressiona disease that affects three million people in Spain.
Under the title ‘1,000 singing for depression’the concert, free of charge, was held at the National Music Auditorium last Wednesday, October 4.
The event has been organized by the ANAED Foundation (Assistance and Help for Depression Patients) and Singerhood but it has had the collaboration of Janssen. Furthermore, the tenor Jose Manuel Zapata was in charge of presenting the event in which they also participated as band and choir directors Marcos Castan, and orchestra and choir Adriana Tanus
At this event, they were José Ramón Pagés, national coordinator of the ANAED Foundation, Jesus Artal, head of the Psychiatry Service of the Marqués de Valdecilla University Hospital or Mercedes Navíopsychiatrist and Hospital Care Manager in the Madrid Health Service.
Depression, more present every day in our society
In Spain, more than 25% of the population suffers from a mental health disorder, depression being one of the most prevalent mental illnesses.
According to the data of the National Health Survey, 7% of the Spanish population has received a diagnosis of depression in the last year, which involves three million people.
Suicide is one of the worst manifestations of depression. In Spain, one person commits suicide every two hours and it is the main cause of death among young people between 15 and 29 years old.
Depression is a problem of great social impact which makes necessary a multidisciplinary approach and that must be faced with all the necessary resources.
Choir and music for depression
‘The patient’s voice’ is a choir that was born in 2019 with the aim of Giving a voice to people with mental health problems, through music.
Today, the choir has become a meeting point of people with mental health problems, family members, health professionals, friends, employees of Janssen…with the aim of combating the stigma and loneliness that still surrounds mental illnesses such as depression or schizophrenia through music.
The group has created a universe in which people connect and establish bonds special moments with other people through music. And precisely music is the common thread of this project that began in 2019 and is now exhibited at a large event in the National Music Auditorium next to Coro Singerhoodthe OJEM Symphony Orchestra and Choir already the professional singer Nena Daconte.
The spirit of the concert is based on the conviction that there is no health without mental health and? the Depression is a reality that concerns us all. And for this reason, throughout the concert messages of support have been launched for people who live with a mental health problem.
From left to right: Marcos Castán, musical director of Singerhood; Dr. Jesús Artal, head of the Psychiatry Service at the Marqués de Valdecilla University Hospital; the singer and songwriter Nena Daconte; José Ramón Pagés, National Coordinator of the ANAED Foundation; and David Beas, director of Government Affairs & Market Access at Janssen. Image provided
Voices for depression
Dressed in black and with scarves, bow ties and colored ties, the choristers entered one by one and later opened the concert next to the OJEM Symphony Orchestra with the song ‘Welcome’ by Miguel Rios.
Throughout the meeting, more emotional and vindictive moments alternated with more humorous and entertaining ones led by the professional tenor. Jose Manuel Zapata.
From ‘Lacrimosa’ Mozarthasta ‘I want to break free’ de Queen, passing through songs performed by Nena Daconte herself, the choir ‘The voice of the patient’ let all their voices shine along with the rest of the choirs and attendees in a concert that ended with the song ‘I had so much to give you’ sung by everyone. A total of more than a thousand voices in unison with the same objective: put music and voice to depression.
‘The patient’s voice’ with the OJEM Choir and Symphony Orchestra and the Singerhood Choir in the concert ‘1000 singing for depression’.
Depression exists, so do the solutions
Within the framework of the concert, the psychiatrist Mercedes Navío He assures that the Ministry of Health of the community of Madrid works daily on mental health, an issue that they consider a priority.
‘The voice is essential for people and especially for those who have a mental health problem and especially depression,’ explains the psychiatrist.
The doctor Jesús Artal, head of the Psychiatry Service at the Marqués de Valdecilla University Hospital in Santander, present at the concert and participating in the choir, stated: “To treat depression, psychotropic drugs and psychotherapy are needed. In fact, singing itself, we believe, cannot cure depression. However, it is a very useful tool to help and complete the life project of a person suffering from depression.”
“When you sing, the vibrations you produce change and modify your physical and mental state for the better. Furthermore, singing in a choir has a much more important effect because you share that sound with a lot of people and it returns to you transformed into a wonderful melody or harmony,” analyzes the specialist.
José Ramón Pagés, National coordinator of the ANAED Foundationhas stated that this meeting is one more way to work to raise awareness throughout society that depression is a disease in which we must all collaborate.
“Depression is something that must be fought with joy,” said José Ramón Pages.
“Above all, I want you to remember from this concert that depression is not treated only by doctors, doctors or psychiatrists; depression, like any other illness, is cured by male and female nurses who are at home, parents, friends, partners or the neighbors,” he adds.
José Ramón Pages, highlighted that the ANAED Foundation started a few years ago with the slogan ‘Depression exists‘and now, ask the public, the attendees and the entire society to also add that ‘the solutions too exist’.
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