Mental health on decline
A large number of people, mostly teenagers and younger adults in Bangladesh, are being affected with mental diseases.
A government survey on mental health reveals that 16.1 percent adults and 18.4 percent children and adolescents suffer from some form of mental disorder.
Common mental illnesses in adults are anxiety disorders, depression, schizophrenia, and substance-abuse. In children and adolescents, mental retardation is found to be 3.4 percent and autism 0.8 percent.
Around 2 million people in the country are affected with mental illnesses. Moreover, the numbers of mental patients have drastically increased over the past five years, says a source in National Institute of Mental Health and Hospital.
Mental health experts are of the opinion, the number of mental patients in Bangladesh is increasing gradually due to social instability, unequal competition in the establishment, addiction to foreign drama-serials, social and family ties, joint family breakdown and degradation of human values.
In addition, changing lifestyles, rapid urbanization, growth of commuting, lack of awareness about healthful behavioral patterns, and psychological pressure also contribute to a person’s affliction by mental disease.
While talking on phone, Dr Abdul Wahab, an assistant professor at the NIMH told Bangladesh Post, “Phone conversations of children of the young generation, mutual misunderstanding and disbelief, drug addiction, multiple relationships, family violence, and strife between husband and wife are seen commonly nowadays. Such activities have negative impacts on people’s mind. So a great section of people are being affected with mental diseases.”
Dr Kazi Saifuddin, professor of the Psychology Department at Jagannath University said, people involved in anti-social activities are mostly suffering from mental illness. They are devoid of social customs and values.”
Dr Rajina Sultana, another professor of Social Work Department at Jagannath University said, “The child of a broken family is mostly prone to mental diseases. Family uncertainty, violence and antipathy towards them worsen mental health. As a result, a child grows recognizing themselves as unwanted in society.”
Meanwhile, it is very astonishing that the number of doctors and psychologists to treat the vast number of mental patients in the country is not adequate.
A Directorate General of Health Service source says, there are only 350 plus such doctors in the country. The number of psychologists is not more than one hundred.
When contacted, Professor Dr Nazimoddowla of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University (BSMMU) said “Most people are not aware of mental diseases as much as they are about physical diseases. More mental hospitals and research centers are needed in the country.”
“It is high time the government took initiatives in this regard. Mass media can contribute a lot in increasing awareness among the people to tackle this plague”, he added.
A government survey on mental health reveals that 16.1 percent adults and 18.4 percent children and adolescents suffer from some form of mental disorder.
Common mental illnesses in adults are anxiety disorders, depression, schizophrenia, and substance-abuse. In children and adolescents, mental retardation is found to be 3.4 percent and autism 0.8 percent.
Around 2 million people in the country are affected with mental illnesses. Moreover, the numbers of mental patients have drastically increased over the past five years, says a source in National Institute of Mental Health and Hospital.
Mental health experts are of the opinion, the number of mental patients in Bangladesh is increasing gradually due to social instability, unequal competition in the establishment, addiction to foreign drama-serials, social and family ties, joint family breakdown and degradation of human values.
In addition, changing lifestyles, rapid urbanization, growth of commuting, lack of awareness about healthful behavioral patterns, and psychological pressure also contribute to a person’s affliction by mental disease.
While talking on phone, Dr Abdul Wahab, an assistant professor at the NIMH told Bangladesh Post, “Phone conversations of children of the young generation, mutual misunderstanding and disbelief, drug addiction, multiple relationships, family violence, and strife between husband and wife are seen commonly nowadays. Such activities have negative impacts on people’s mind. So a great section of people are being affected with mental diseases.”
Dr Kazi Saifuddin, professor of the Psychology Department at Jagannath University said, people involved in anti-social activities are mostly suffering from mental illness. They are devoid of social customs and values.”
Dr Rajina Sultana, another professor of Social Work Department at Jagannath University said, “The child of a broken family is mostly prone to mental diseases. Family uncertainty, violence and antipathy towards them worsen mental health. As a result, a child grows recognizing themselves as unwanted in society.”
Meanwhile, it is very astonishing that the number of doctors and psychologists to treat the vast number of mental patients in the country is not adequate.
A Directorate General of Health Service source says, there are only 350 plus such doctors in the country. The number of psychologists is not more than one hundred.
When contacted, Professor Dr Nazimoddowla of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University (BSMMU) said “Most people are not aware of mental diseases as much as they are about physical diseases. More mental hospitals and research centers are needed in the country.”
“It is high time the government took initiatives in this regard. Mass media can contribute a lot in increasing awareness among the people to tackle this plague”, he added.
(The article was first published at Bangladesh Post)
Comments
Post a Comment