PHOTO: FILE
KARACHI: Psychiatric patients are socially stigmatised, said Dr Syed Tariq Sohail, Jinnah Medical and Dental College chairperson.
Their family members and peer groups often isolate and reject them, he claimed. “We need to immediately address this burgeoning problem.”
He was addressing the World Health Day seminar, ‘Dignity in Mental Health’, held at the Jinnah Medical and Dental College on Saturday. The event was organised by Pakistan Association for Mental Health.
A society is defined by how it treats its weak and vulnerable populations such as those suffering from mental disorders, said Dr Naim Siddiqi, Aga Khan University consultant psychiatrist and Sindh Institute of Urology and Transplantation department of psychiatry head. He urged the people to not ostracise people affected by mental disorders.
Rights of people suffering from mental disorders should be highlighted and more awareness must be created, said Pakistan Association for Mental Health patron Prof Dr Ghous Muhammad. He stressed the need to support the work of organisations that are working to improve the status of mental health patients. He also urged the Sindh government to implement the Sindh Mental Health Act, 2013, within a month.
Barriers to diagnosis
Ten per cent of mental health patients attribute the disease to supernatural causes, revealed psychiatrist Dr Uzam Ambareen. About 47 per cent patients avoid disclosing their illness due to social stigma attached to it, she added.
Ambareen said that high costs, lack of access to psychiatrists, discrimination in society, superstitious beliefs and lack of awareness are the main causes that have created barriers for people suffering from mental disorders.
Media perception
Media plays a crucial role in influencing the opinions of the people, said Siddiqi. In response to the tragedy of 9/11 and the way the Western media portrayed it, till today, 96,000 people have been killed in Afghanistan, claimed Siddiqi. Of these 26,000 were civilians, he said. Interestingly only 3,000 people died in the September 11 attack, he added.
“The data shows that normal people are influenced by different perceptions as some people continue support the killing of Afghan citizens,” said Siddiqi. Those who overtly support the violence are highly under the influence of media, he claimed. However, the same people will come out to protest if any terrorist activity occurs in their country, he added.
The only solution to the burgeoning problem is the spreading awareness about mental health, said Siddiqi. If the media can create such perceptions that people end up supporting violence then it can surely be used to spread peace, he reasoned.
Published in The Express Tribune, October 11th, 2015.
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