title: Does the recent intensification of nationalistic and xenophobic attitudes in Eastern European countries adversely affect public mental health?
abstract: The authors postulate that the recent intensification of the nationalist and xenophobic attitude in Poland and other Eastern European countries is detrimental to public mental health. The xenophobic attitude is accompanied by a higher incidence of anxiety and depression, disputes due to the polarization of opinions, a sense of embarrassment and a sense of contradictions with so-called Christian values, unfavorable demographic predictions and reduced life satisfaction.
  
  
  
  The authors attempt to describe the sequence of adverse events that led to the intensification of xenophobia and characterize the current state of public mental health in European countries. They formulate and propose possible actions which could counteract the consequences of that transformation.
  
  
  
  The actions which may be undertaken to counteract the deterioration of public mental health can be based on the recommendations of so-called 'positive psychology' and 'positive psychiatry' as well as the principles of strengthening local social capital.
authors: Institute of Occupational Medicine and Environmental Health, Koscielna 13, 41-200, Sosnowiec, Poland. andrzejbrodziak@wp.pl.
authors: Andrzej
authors: 0000-0001-5280-1078
authors: A
authors: Brodziak
authors: Institute of Nursing, University of Applied Sciences, Armi Krajowej 7, 48-300, Nysa, Poland.
authors: Alicja
authors: A
authors: Różyk-Myrta
authors: Institute of Nursing, University of Applied Sciences, Armi Krajowej 7, 48-300, Nysa, Poland.
authors: Agnieszka
authors: A
authors: Wolińska
mesh_terms: D001007:Anxiety / Q000209:etiology; D001290:Attitude; D003710:Demography; D003863:Depression / Q000209:etiology; D005060:Europe; D005061:Europe, Eastern; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008603:Mental Health; D010549:Personal Satisfaction; D011044:Poland; D044382:Population Groups; D011634:Public Health; D012945:Social Values; D065806:Xenophobia / Q000523:psychology*
keywords: Coherence; Eastern Europe; Immigration; Nationalistic attitude; Positive psychiatry; Positive psychology; Public mental health; Social capital; Xenophobia; Xenophobic attitude