Between Convictions and Psychiatric Labels: Beliefs, Polarisation and Mental Health in a Changing Europe

When people argue that rising immigration is part of a deliberate plan by political elites to reshape society and replace existing populations, it can be difficult to make sense of this belief. Those who hold this view may feel they are simply seeing patterns that others miss, and their certainty can grow stronger when they find others who seem to confirm it.

So, what kind of belief are we dealing with? Is it an extreme political belief, shaped by the social world around us? Or is it something closer to a psychiatric delusion? This webinar looks at those difficult cases where the answer is not straightforward.

Extreme beliefs and psychiatric delusions can look surprisingly similar: held very strongly, resistant to change even in the face of evidence, and bound up with fear, identity, or a need to make sense of a confusing world. What often makes the difference is that extreme beliefs are shared, while delusions are usually more idiosyncratic.
This is especially relevant in a changing Europe. At a time of polarisation, mistrust, and rapid social change, beliefs do not emerge in a vacuum. They are shaped by social identity, relationships, and the wider climate, which is why the line between shared convictions and pathological beliefs can sometimes seem blurred.

In this 30-minute webinar, Professor Richard Bentall and Dr Almudena Trucharte will explore these cases through an interview-style conversation, linked to the IN-MIND project (Horizon Europe Marie Skłodowska-Curie Action), opening a compassionate conversation about the grey area in between.

Registration is free and can be completed via the following link:

https://crm.epha.org/civicrm/event/register?reset=1&id=180