Adequate Health Facilities At District Level Needed To Cater Patients With Mental Disorders

Adequate health facilities at district level as well as proper awareness are indispensable to cater the needs of the patients suffering from mental disorders across the country, which are increasing in number with each passing day due to the social issues and negativity projected through different mode of communications

ISLAMABAD, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 9th Oct, 2019 ) :Adequate health facilities at district level as well as proper awareness are indispensable to cater the needs of the patients suffering from mental disorders across the country, which are increasing in number with each passing day due to the social issues and negativity projected through different mode of communications.

This was stated by Chairman, Department of Psychiatry, Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences, Professor Dr Rizwan Taj here on Wednesday while talking to APP in an interview regarding World Mental Health Day, falling on October 10.

"Five to six percent of the total population of Pakistan is suffering from acute mental illnesses due to lowest budget, insufficient health facilities and lack of awareness", Dr Rizwan Taj said while urging the present government to establish 10-bed hospitals or small health units at district level to treat mental illnesses and provide proper awareness and counseling to the patients.

He said World Mental Health Day was a perfect time for all of us to focus on awareness and treatment of mental diseases, which are also a big reason of suicides especially among youngsters.

A person living a normal life, keeping intact with his social relations and performing his duties at workplace normally is considered as healthy, however, if he faces difficulty in doing so means that he is not mentally well. When this situation aggravates, it turns into mental illness.

Around 30 to 40 percent people are disturbed in terms of their mental health, however only five to six percent among them are suffering from mental disorders or deteriorated mental health, he said.

Dr Rizwan termed social taboos as a major source of increasing mental disorders, which is not only a problem of Pakistan but in the world. Usually most of the patients hide their mental disease and avoid taking proper treatment due to cultural aspects, misconceptions and lack of proper awareness.

It is very unfortunate that in our culture, majority being unable to comprehend a condition of mental disorder consider it as an evil eye, curse or some ghost appearance and a large number of people are moving to fake healers who are further aggravating their illness, Dr Rizwan Taj observed.

The situation is changing gradually with people getting awareness that 80 to 90 percent mental disorders are curable, he said.

About impact of social media on mental health of youth, Dr Rizwan Taj was of the view that the country's population comprises over a big junk of youth who are under the age of 30 years and could be developed as useful workforce for contributing in the national development.

"If our youth is mentally healthy and hopeful about their satisfactory future then they will study and work properly, make social relations and develop themselves as useful citizens. However, if they are not mentally healthy, they will live a painful life", he observed.

Social media has taken over our life during the last five to six years with projection of negative and painful things through messages, posts and videos which has created a deep impact on the minds of readers especially youth.

"This is a high time for the parents to keep their children away from the addiction of social media, internet and mobile phones. They must allow their children such things only for educational purposes for a specific time", Dr Rizwan Taj said.

Those children who spent their time on use of social media networks remain deprive of maintaining healthy relationships with their parents and social bonds as well as of sharing their feelings and problems with parents and friends.

The negativity imprinted on the minds of the youth through social media and their inability to communicate with others leads those to extreme behaviours like suicide.

He said role of parents, teachers and media is crucial to educate and guide the children and mold them toward positivity.

To a question, Dr Rizwan said the importance of religion cannot be overlooked in maintaining mental health as it gives us hope, discipline and positivity in our lives when we offer five times prayer a day. Losing our connection with religion is also a major factor of increasing mental health issues, he opined.

Commenting on this year's theme of suicides prevention, he said suicide has become a stigma in our society as most of the people hide such attempts and avoid treatment and counseling to prevent themselves from legal action as well as societal pressures.

The trend of suicide attempts among youth is due to extreme hopelessness after failure in exams or any other aspect of life, he said while urging parents and teachers to develop good relation with the children so that they can share their issues. "The thinking of today's youth that whatever good they will contribute will not have any effect on society needs to be changed by parents and teachers", Dr Rizwan said.

About extreme behaviours in women, Dr Rizwan observed that women being a role model play a great role in running the household affairs and taking care of children and house. They need mental support in term of a word of appreciation, encouragement and relaxation from heir routine.

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