Chandigarh, April 6
At least about 70,000 city residents could be suffering from mental illness. While 10,000 of these are actually facing major mental illness, the remaining have one or the other, minor mental imbalances. The number, in today’s world of ever-increasing stress and tension, is an alarming signal for the health services to sit up and take notice. On the eve of the World Health Day tomorrow —some hard facts and a few words of caution on this year’s focus — Mental Health.
It is more about the positive mental health and the concept — you feel good if you are relaxed and happy — which is all directly related to stress, says Prof B.S. Chavan, Head, Department of Psychiatry, Government Medical College and Hospital, Sector 32.
Living in present times, no one could be immune to mental disorders and already there are many as 400 million persons in the world suffering from mental or neurological disorders and psychosocial problems, directly related to alcohol and drug abuse and in turn stress.
Stress of excessive burden at school can make a happy 10-year-old turn into an irritable, aloof, mentally disturbed individual explains Prof Chavan. Similarly, to counter stress a high school teenager could find an easy way out by abusing drugs. “Actually intravenous drug abuse has been a dangerous development in the city and is on a steady rise . Besides creating psychological disorders, this will lead to more dangerous implications like AIDS,” Prof Chavan says.
Mental illness is broadly divided into two categories — major and minor mental illnesses. “The brain functions on the basis of levels of certain
chemicals. Genetic predisposition or stress could lead to an increase or a decrease in their levels. Other factors leading to this imbalance and subsequently disruption of higher mental functions like judgement and comprehension also include difficult childhood, broken family, unhealthy environment besides drug and physical abuse,” Prof Chavan said.
These patients often suffer from problems related to understanding. They talk and laugh irrelevantly and even start suspecting those around or close to him. Minor mental illness includes psychological problems like depression, anxiety, lack of sleep and even uncontrollable headache.
Like they say, prevention is always better than cure. Prof Chavan says awareness and education about diagnosing early symptoms at home and a subsequent follow up by an expert can make all the difference. “More than 30 per cent patients can be treated with non-pharmacological methods like counselling, behaviour therapy and stress management exercises like yoga,” he adds.
Prof Chavan advocates for a more relaxed lifestyle to take care of the stress related psychological problems. “Genetic predisposition towards stress cannot be helped but that arising due to behavioural and environmental problems can be. Take time off and keep your hobbies alive. Moreover, a healthy lifestyle is a good lifestyle. Improve your lifestyle by using preventive methods like regular exercises and yoga.”
Children, due to unreasonable expectations and completion in school and society, are more prone to stress and subsequent psychological problems. “The problem is that most of the schools even lack the expertise to and manage these problems. Whereas lack of interest , irritability, decrease in appetite and aloofness are signals requiring compassionate handling at home and school, rather they are deal harshly,” he adds.
Mental health has, however, remained a neglected subject, despite the fact that Government of India, in 1987, adopted a national mental health programme under which it was proposed to be made available to the weaker section at an affordable price at their doorstep “This could not materialise as it was not taken up as a priority by the state governments,” says Prof Chavan.
On the whole mental health has not been given its due priority as has been in the case of AIDS , cancer and other diseases on which a lot of money is being spent. Then there is also a shortage of trained persons, including psychiatrists, psychologists and social workers. Prof Chavan says that very few medical colleges even offer post graduate courses in psychiatry. Even during the MBBS course, very little or no emphasis is laid on the topic.
Delay in treatment is mostly due to social stigma attached with the problem besides the fact that even till now health services are centrally located instead of a community based programme. “There are many solutions available to treat persons with mental or brain disorder to make them useful members of the society. what is required is correct diagnosis and treatment,” Prof Chavan
asserts.
