‘Alleviate sufferings of mental health patients so that they don’t kill themselves’

Panellists stress on removing stigma associated with mental illnesses, suicide

KARACHI: Healthcare experts urged the society to collectively work towards removing the stigma associated with mental illnesses, addressing the problem with particular focus on suicide, during a seminar organised by Pakistan Association of Mental Health (PAMH) at Arts Council on Sunday.

The seminar was organised in observance of the World Mental Health Day, falling on October 10, the theme for which this year was suicide prevention.

Speaking at the seminar, PAMH President Dr Syed Haroon Ahmed said that society as a whole needs to make efforts towards destigmatising mental illnesses. Particularly referring to suicide, he said that there is a need to recognise mental illnesses as genuine health concerns to save the lives of millions who commit suicide as a consequence of mental health issues.

"We need to alleviate their [mental health patients'] sufferings so that they no more [kill themselves] and die silently," he stressed.

Speaking about the stigma attached with suicide, Psychiatrist and PAMH Vice President Dr Uzma Umbreen pointed out that limited data is available on suicide in Pakistan, partly because suicide cases are underreported in the country. According to her, one of the reasons behind suicide carrying a stigma is it being considered a sin in Islam.

Further elaborating on the factors that contribute to stigmatising suicide, Dr Umbreen said that until recently, suicide and attempted suicide were considered punishable offences under the Pakistan Penal Code and there was no consideration of mental illnesses being one of its underlying causes. However, now, as per the Sindh Mental Health Act, 2013, anyone who attempts suicide is allowed psychiatric assessment before he or she is penalized, she added.

Unfortunately, while laws have been amended, society's attitude towards the issue of suicide remains unchanged, regretted Dr Umbreen.

The PAMH vice president emphasised the need for the people to understand that suicide is a preventable cause of death. It is estimated that 90% people who commit suicide suffer from a diagnosed or undiagnosed mental illness, she informed the attendees of the seminar, adding that in order to curb suicide rates, it is essential to take steps for the prevention of mental illnesses and removing stigma associated with them, promotion of good mental health and improving access to mental healthcare.

Also speaking on the occasion, Senator Dr Karim Khawaja, who visited Thar with a PAMH team, said that suicide rate has risen significantly in the region over the past few years. Addressing the issue of lack of healthcare facilities for treating mental ailments in Thar, Dr Khawaja apprised the attendees of the seminar that 200 paramedics and 100 doctors will be trained by PAMH to treat patients having mental illnesses in the district. He also unveiled the plan for establishing helplines to provide counseling to mental health patients, jointly by Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre and Cowasjee Institute of Psychiatry.

The senator said that it is unfortunate that there are only 140 psychiatrists in Sindh, adding that it has been planned to train 10,000 mental health practitioners.

According to Dr Iqbal Afridi, head of Psychiatry and Behavioural Sciences department at JPMC, lives of individuals who deliberately harm themselves are four times more stressful than that of others. Drawing attention towards inappropriate behaviour which leads to suicide, he said, "Our society pressurises a child by laying extraordinary emphasis on performing well at school, when we should actually focus on teaching him how to stay happy and surviving in unfavourable circumstances."

Addressing the seminar, he outlined conflicts in family, marital problems, chronic illnesses and unemployment as some of the factors that lead to suicide.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 15^th, 2019.