Mental Health Research in Spain: a bit more than green shoots.

In the current economic situation, having an area of our work sending out signs of strength and hopefulness is to be appreciated. Spanish psychiatry has acquired, for the first time in its history, a fundamental role in international psychiatry. It has done so, not through specific names, but rather thanks to the collaborative spirit of numerous research groups that have decided to unite their efforts. The fact that, in the year 2012, it is accepted as completely natural for the greatest part of mental health publications in this country to come from collaborations among different groups was something quite unthinkable just a few years ago--and it is something that should fill us all with pride. The fact that, in addition, the product of such collaboration is translational work published in the best national and international journals, patents and clinical guidelines should be the motive for even greater elation. Never before has the presence of articles by Spanish authors or of Spanish speakers at the best congresses and conferences in our extensive area of knowledge been so frequent. Left behind us are the favouritisms that so damaged the history of psychiatry in this country. The participation of Spanish groups leading European projects or preparing the road map for mental health research for