From Early Detection to Social Reintegration... Yeongdeungpo-gu Launches Rehabilitation for Mental Illness Patients

Operation of Customized Rehabilitation Programs like Pottery and Horticulture Based on Severity of Mental Illness
Attention-Grabbing Original Compositions through Music Therapy... A Successful Case of Mental Illness Rehabilitation Led by the Local Community
Strengthening the 'Comprehensive Management System' for Early Treatment and Employment Connection to Settle in the Community

Music Therapy

Yeongdeungpo-gu (District Mayor Choi Ho-kwon) announced that it will implement a ‘customized rehabilitation program’ according to the severity of severe mental illnesses to encourage the independence of patients and support their stable reintegration into society.

Mental illnesses such as schizophrenia and bipolar disorder can worsen if treatment is delayed, making early detection and rehabilitation from the initial stages crucial.

Therefore, the district operates various rehabilitation programs to help individuals with mental illnesses establish themselves stably in society. In particular, each program focuses on enhancing interpersonal relationships, self-esteem, empathy, and social skills through interaction with others.

The rehabilitation programs include ▲ music therapy, where participants freely write lyrics and connect their emerging emotions with music ▲ pottery, which heals the mind through touching clay ▲ horticulture, involving interaction with plants ▲ aromatherapy, healing with oil scents ▲ and meditation, which helps release negative emotions. These programs are conducted according to the stages of mental illness: initial onset, chronic, and severe.

Participants in the ‘music therapy’ program actively engage in rehabilitation by composing and publicly sharing their original songs. One participant shared, “Learning how to honestly express my emotions through melodies has made my relationships with others more comfortable.”

The district expressed its determination to further accelerate the establishment of a community-led mental illness management system through rehabilitation cases using ‘music therapy.’

Furthermore, the district provides one-on-one in-depth counseling and systematic management for individuals with severe mental illnesses, guiding them through treatment, employment linkage, and recovery of daily life.

Choi Ho-kwon, Mayor of Yeongdeungpo-gu, stated, “We will strengthen a comprehensive management system, including various rehabilitation programs and employment connections, to help those suffering from severe mental illnesses adapt well as members of the community. We will carefully attend to mental health welfare so that all residents can enjoy a bright and happy life.”