Film How to be normal: Focus on mental health in Graz!

Film How to be normal: Focus on mental health in Graz!

Graz, Österreich - The film "How to Be Normal" opens the diagonal in Graz on March 27, 2025 and deals with a highly topical topic: mental health. Director Florian Pochlatko, who has personal points of contact with the topic, would like to create a discourse platform with his work and stimulate discussions. He is convinced that dealing with mentally ill is often difficult, since the topic was pubed for a long time and there is a lack of expertise. His intensive research included numerous interviews with those affected and experts, which emotionally burdened him and motivated him to focus on the problem.

The need to talk about mental illnesses and to help those affected are undisputed. Pochlatko's film aims to raise awareness of the challenges and grievances in psychiatry. In many regions there is no adequate therapy places and psychiatric clinics, which shows that the topic is still not taken seriously enough. The director is proud to show his film in his home country because he has a connection to Graz and Berlin.

challenges in psychiatry

In Germany, mental illnesses are common and they often start in childhood and adolescence. Every year, millions of people suffer from inadequate mental illnesses, which not only means suffering for those affected and their relatives, but also causes significant economic costs. The Federal Government decided in 2018 to establish the German Center for Mental Health (DZPG) in order to advance effective prevention, diagnosis and therapy procedures. These should better take individual needs into account and represent a step in the right direction. The structure of the center began on May 1, 2023.

For many young people who suffer from mental disorders, the treatment often fails for a long time: symptoms can exist for up to five years before therapy takes place. This is also shown by the focus on the importance of preventive measures and early detection, which is repeatedly emphasized by experts. It is often neglected that social inequality is a risk factor for mental illnesses. Initiatives such as "Fritz" and "Soulspace" in Berlin offer support for young adults in psychological crises and rely on multidisciplinary treatment concepts.

the social change

The view of mental health has changed in recent years. Therapy is increasingly considered normal, even if there are still many obstacles in reality. The audience of the premiere of the film on the Berlinale experienced an emotional mix of tears and laughter that underlined the need to talk about mental illnesses. It is all the more important that events similar to the diagonal in Graz bring the topic to the public and encourage people to speak openly about it.

The challenge remains: Despite the knowledge gained about mental illnesses, many of this important information does not get into the routine supply. Long -term structural support and an improvement in knowledge transfer between science and care are essential in order to provide affected people the support they need. Initiatives that aim at the prevention and early detection of mental illnesses can help improve the fate of many affected people and optimize care.

The film "How to Be Normal" and similar projects make an important contribution to raising awareness of mental health and promoting discussions. An open conversation about mental illnesses could help in the future to create the prerequisites for better treatments and more empathy in society.