World Schizophrenia Day marked

A health expert on 'World schizophrenia day' called upon society to play an active role in public awareness about early detection in patients' s recovery and educate people about the challenges faced by the patients as millions of people are suffering from it.

Associate Professor Dr Javed Akbar explained that 'Schizophrenia' is linked with considerable disability and could affect educational and occupational performance. Schizophrenia, on the other hand, is a chronic and severe mental disorder affecting a person's thinking, perception, emotions, and behaviour, he added.

People with schizophrenia are 2-3 times more likely to die at an early age in comparison to the average population, he said, adding that Schizophrenia is associated with physical illnesses, such as cardiovascular, metabolic, and infectious diseases.

Replying to a question, he said this day is to acknowledge how much work remains to lift the stigma surrounding this condition and to create a more just end equitable world for people diagnosed with serious mental illness. He also described that the main two most commonly misunderstood conditions are bipolar disorder and schizophrenia, adding, it is essential to recognise their distinct symptoms and characteristics at an early stage.

"Contrary to popular belief, people with schizophrenia do not have a 'split personality', he said, adding, a small number of people with schizophrenia become violent but they do have a higher rate of suicide than the general population."

"We want to raise awareness and we want people to know that mental illness is a serious issue,” he said, adding. We want people to realise that there is no shame in talking about these kinds of illnesses, he added.

"The incidence of depression in women compared to men is two to one, adding, about 10 to 15 per cent of women suffer from depression while it is 5 to 10 per cent in men worldwide.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 25^th, 2023.