AUST symposium: Mental illnesses as bad as physical ailments

Speakers say psychological disorders common in Pakistan, but treatment is avoided

ABBOTTABAD: Mental illness is equally disastrous for citizens as physical ailments.

This was stated by psychologists at a day-long symposium on “Psychological disorders and behaviour problems” held at the department of psychology in Abbottabad University of Science and Technology (AUST) on Thursday.

The symposium was jointly organised by AUST, Human Development Organization (HDO) and Aghaz psychological services.

Speaking on this occasion Malakand University vice-chancellor Dr Johar Ali said that psychological disorders such as depression, anxiety and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) are not seen as medical problems in Pakistan even though mental illnesses was equally bad for people as physical ailments.

He added that mental disorders were common in Pakistani society and should not be viewed in isolation from medical and social problems. He said that in order to reform the society, rehabilitation of the individual was crucial while psychologists and psychiatrists must focus on this aspect of the mental health.

Dr Ali stressed on the need for incorporating psychological guidance and counseling in the syllabus from school and college level.

Dr Summiya Ahmed from University of Peshawar briefed the audience about adolescent behaviour problems, discussing in detail the physical, cognitive and social development process of an adolescent. She also discussed risks that an adolescent could face during this specific age.

Dr Aftab Alam, head of psychiatry department Ayub Medical Complex, said that the social stigma attached with psychiatric treatment was misplaced and that people brand such patients as insane or mad although, there were hardly 10 to 20 illnesses related to mental health.

Sadaqat Khan, a representative of Human Development Organization (HDO), spoke about the physical, psychological, social and economic impacts of torture on a person and subsequently on the society.

Explaining the difference between impacts of violence and torture, he said that since law enforcement agencies do not have access to modern technology or method to investigate a crime, the only tool left with them was torture. However, this practice was cruel, inhuman and degrading for a citizen with lasting negative impacts.

He said that the purpose of torture has always been to spread fear among the citizens, using it as deterrence for controlling crime but, he claimed, this approach had failed to achieve its target as a majority of victims of torture were found relapsing into crime, contributing towards poverty within their families after developing different physical and psychological disorders.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 10^th, 2016.