iFightDepression® Self-management Tool for Displaced People from Ukraine

Frankfurt am Main, 01.09.2022 – The iFightDepression (iFD) tool is now available in Ukrainian language thanks to an initiative of the European Alliance Against Depression (EAAD).

Due to language barriers, those amongst the 6 million refugees that have fled Ukraine to across Europe (UNHCR, 2022) suffering from depression, find it difficult to receive guideline oriented treatment. Now, the iFD tool – Ukraine version provides health professionals with a cost-free resource to support their Ukrainian patients suffering from depression. This helps people facing a disruption to their mental health treatment and new difficulties to get help in their language in a new country. The Ukrainian version of the iFD tool includes an additional workshop named “Finding your inner strength” which intends to increase resilience in those who live in difficult life circumstances and crises. Professor Ulrich Hegerl, President of EAAD, points out that the antidepressant effects of this iFD tool have been rigorously evaluated (Oehler et al., 2020) and he adds: “There will be around 30,000 people from Ukraine suffering from depression every year and hopefully many of them will benefit from using the iFD tool.”

iFightDepression®

iFD tool: The iFD tool is a self-management tool based on Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT). It is a “guided” tool, used with the support of a trained guiding health professional such as a general practitioner, psychiatrist, or psychological psychotherapist. It helps to tackle depression by helping the patient recognise and challenge less helpful patterns of thinking, feeling, and behaving. By using the tool, the patient will learn the skills needed to prevent depression symptoms from coming back. Including the new Ukrainian version, the tool is available in 15 languages. For more information: tool.ifightdepression.com

iFD awareness website: This website aims to promote and increase awareness of depression by providing primary information about depression and its consequences. The website is available in 19 languages. For more information: www.ifightdepression.com

iFightDepression is an initiative of EAAD.

Reference

  • Oehler, C., Görges, F., Rogalla, M., Rummel-Kluge, C. and Hegerl, U., 2020. Efficacy of a Guided Web-Based Self-Management Intervention for Depression or Dysthymia: Randomized Controlled Trial With a 12-Month Follow-Up Using an Active Control Condition. Journal of Medical Internet Research, 22(7).
  • UNHCR. 2022. Situation Ukraine Refugee Situation. [online] Available at: (https://data.unhcr.org/en/situations/ukraine> [Accessed 18 August 2022)

CONTACT

European Alliance against Depression e.V.
Coordination Center
Simge Celik
Clinic for Psychiatry, Psychosomatics and Psychotherapy
University Hospital Frankfurt
Heinrich-Hoffmann-Straße 10
60528 Frankfurt am Main, Germany
Tel.: +49(0) 69630186344
simge.celik@eaad.net

European Alliance Against Depression – EAAD

The European Alliance Against Depression (EAAD) is an international non-profit organisation based in Frankfurt a.M., Germany. EAAD has several members from all over the world and more than 100 regional network partners globally. It was established in 2008 by a number of mental health experts from different European research institutions in order to sustain the EU-funded EAAD project (2004-2008). The EAAD is involved in several European research projects targeting depression and suicide prevention in Europe.

Prof. Ulrich Hegerl is the project coordinator of EAAD-Best and the president of the European Alliance Against Depression e.V. He is also president of the German Depression Foundation and holder of the Johann Christian Senckenberg Distinguished Professorship at the Goethe University Frankfurt. Prof. Hegerl is an international expert in depression research and suicide prevention and has coordinated several large EU-funded projects on these topics.