Removing the stigma: Do not exclude those who suffer from schizophrenia, say experts

KARACHI:
Anyone can suffer from mental illnesses at any stage of life, said prominent psychiatrist Dr Uzma Ambreen. "Do not exclude those who suffer from schizophrenia."

Ambreen was speaking at a seminar on 'Living with Schizophrenia and Sindh Mental Health Act 2013' on Sunday, organised by the Pakistan Association for Mental Health and the Recovery House to mark World Mental Health Day, celebrated across the globe on October 10. Around one per cent of people in every country suffer from schizophrenia. "A person who has schizophrenia is not the only one who suffers," she said. "Their family members, spouses, children, friends and other loved ones suffer equally." She added that it was a myth that people with schizophrenia could not recover and live normal lives.

Discussing the illness, Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre psychiatry

and neurology head Dr Iqbal Afridi said that 'schizophrenia' was a word with Greek origins, meaning 'split mind'. "It is a thought disorder, generally occurring between the ages of 15 and 45, and it is considered the cancer of mental illness," he said.

He explained that the methods of treating schizophrenic patients have changed over time, and they can now live a normal and successful life. "Men suffer more than women from the negative symptoms of this illness, which include lack of pleasure, flat affect, loss of motivation, attention deficits and loss of interest in social activities," he said.

Schizophrenics also often suffer from metabolic syndrome, obesity, diabetes and high blood pressure due to the side effects of the medication they are prescribed. Their life expectancy can be up to 20 years less than that of the average population.

"Apart from their health problems, schizophrenics also face issues such as discrimination, stigmatisation, violation of their basic rights, abuse, disempowerment and dehumanisation," said Dr Ambreen. "People often fail to recognise them as human beings and equals."

Tabinda Afzal, a clinical psychologist and psychiatric rehabilitation practitioner at the Recovery House, talked in detail about psychiatric rehabilitation in schizophrenia. "The Recovery House was established to reduce disability and maximise environmental adaptation," she said. "Our goal is to restore the ability of schizophrenics to lead independent lives."

Dr Afzal added that they tried to work with the patients' own strengths. "Engagement in different activities improves mental health," she explained. "It also fosters a sense of achievement and motivation."

Stressing the role of the media in responsible reporting about mental health issues, consultant psychiatrist Dr Anita Aijaz likened the media to a magnifying glass. "According to a study, 77 per cent of mental health patients from around the globe are hurt or offended by the media depiction of them, which often shows that they are unlikely to recover," she said. She further suggested that a mental health reporting guideline should be developed.

Justice (retired) Nasir Aslam Zahid was the chief guest at the event.

John Nash - Nobel Prize winner

Syd Barrett - an English musician

Mary Todd Lincoln - the wife of former US president, Abraham Lincoln

Published in The Express Tribune, October 13^th, 2014.