La Democracia hosted last Friday the presentation of the book "Did you know..." by the mental health association El Cribo.
The event began with a performance by the El Cribo choir, directed by Professor Arnold Bonilla, who performed the song by Puerto Rican composer Bobby Capó "Me importas Tú" and "Dime que Si". Next, the president of the association, Rosi González, spoke, thanking everyone for attending and giving a brief overview of the creation of El Cribo. "During these 30 years we have done nothing else, and we will continue to do so, than to fight for the improvement of the quality of life for people with mental illness and that of their families, bringing to the general population the positive message of mental health and its importance in our well-being," she explained.
González added that "we have all worked together, family members, people with mental disorders, workers, volunteers, public and private organizations, and health professionals. To all of them, our sincere thanks for their unconditional support, especially the health professionals who have collaborated over these 30 years in our radio program La Ovejita Negra, also in our El Cribo newspaper, preparing the articles for the section "Did you know..."" The president pointed out about the section "that in such an entertaining and simple way has served to bring knowledge to so many people, covering in a very broad way all the topics of interest that over time have arisen in our society and that affect our mental health. Thanks to all those who have collaborated and made possible the book that we present to you today."
Next, Julio Santiago Obeso, psychiatrist at El Cribo, who as a collaborator in this publication along with other fellow psychiatrists and psychologists, explained how the idea of publishing this book "Did you know..." came about, with the same name as the section written by mental health professionals in the El Cribo newspaper. They are a collection of short texts, written in a colloquial tone and language that aims to bring various aspects of mental health and illness to a wide audience, sometimes with a background of current affairs, others, of daily life. "These articles should not be considered as the official voice of the Association nor as an editorial of the same, but as personal opinions of each of its authors," explained the psychiatrist. Finally, he emphasized the "gratitude in the same way to the authors for their collaboration and to the readers for their help: thanks to them all the benefits collected from the sale of the book will go to the Mental Health Association El Cribo." Julio Santiago was accompanied by Virginie Monitora from the Graphic Design Workshop of El Cribo.
