Our country is currently going through a very difficult situation, mainly due to corruption, a dishonest, unethical, and illegal practice that has become deeply institutionalized within our political system, where personal interests are placed above the interests of an entire nation.
According to the VIII Report on Perceptions of Quality of Life in Lima and Callao, presented a few days ago by the citizen observatory "Lima Cómo Vamos," corruption among public officials is considered one of the three most important issues affecting quality of life by more than 26% of residents in both Lima and Callao.
Corruption not only hinders a country's development, but it also negatively impacts the mental health of its citizens. In an interview with Andina several months ago*, representatives of the Honorio Delgado-Hideyo Noguchi National Institute of Mental Health explained how corruption affects a country's overall sense of well-being, generating discouragement, demoralization, and hopelessness among the population.
"The public sees corruption as an obstacle that undermines their rights and the country's progress. However, they do not yet fully realize that, beyond affecting them individually, it also has a profound impact on the mental health of society as a whole," said Luis Matos, Head of the Health Promotion Department.
There is a close relationship between distress and corruption. Impunity further worsens the situation by increasing society's sense of insecurity and contributing to the development of stress, anxiety, anger, frustration, and sadness when appropriate sanctions are not enforced.
As citizens of a country affected by corruption, it is our responsibility to pause, reflect, and become aware of our own actions. We must have zero tolerance for corrupt practices at every level, whether large or small. It is also our duty to educate and promote strong values in future generations, teaching them to distinguish between right and wrong. Only in this way can we move forward as a nation.
#EveryoneForMentalHealth
