A tenth of the mentally ill are high-risk, said Prof. Petar Marinov

The recent cases of aggression by individuals with mental illnesses, which have increased in the past few days, makes an urgent, necessary, and immediate psychiatric reform crucial, said Prof. Petar Marinov, Chairman of the National Association of Mental Health Experts, in the programme "Deniyat zapochva" (the Day Begins) on BNT on February 7.

"In Sofia, if there are 15,000 people suffering from schizophrenia, and this is roughly accurate, there are also 15,000 with bipolar disorder, and of them, one-tenth, i.e., 1,500 schizophrenics and 1,500 with bipolar disorder, are high-risk," he stated.

"And this reform is not just about allocating money to certain places. Yes, undoubtedly, underfunding plays a huge role, but it is only one of the factors," he added.

According to Prof. Marinov, the current state of mental health care facilities is still "above water," but they are in a risky situation, especially in the country's largest city. He raised the question of why most cases of aggression by people with mental illnesses occur in or around Sofia.

In his opinion, the following measures should be urgently taken:

• It is crucial to have mobile teams that visit patients' homes and check if they are receiving treatment.
• The inclusion of all institutions in the fight against aggression.

"We are even willing to train neighbourhood police officers. We will do this pro bono. But what matters is that it has an effect."

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