JULY , 2023 | THE HEALTH

DIFFERENT STROKES

BY ADI SATRIA

A technical report released by the Ministry of Health ( MoH ) in 2017 showed that 29.2 per cent of adults aged 16 and above , or one in three adults and 12.1 per cent of children in Malaysia , were experiencing mental health problems . This means that after heart disease , this is the second largest health problem plaguing Malaysians .

Another report from the National Health and Morbidity Study ( NHMS ) conducted in 2019 showed that about half a million of our country ’ s population experienced depression . Since then , these figures would have increased to even worse levels since the outbreak of Covid-19 in early 2020 .

While millions of ringgit were spent tackling physical health issues , not much seriousness is given to mental health . It is a topic most people seek to avoid .

Due to the low level of education and awareness , our society tends to have negative perceptions and stereotypes towards those with mental health issues , so they are ashamed and thus reluctant to seek mental health advice from professionals .

It is not wrong to say that most Malaysians turn to religion to find solace in trying to solve their mental issues , which range from depression , sadness due to certain life tragedies , relationship issues with family and friends , education issues such as failure in academic studies , anxieties , feelings of insecurity as well as problems with anger management and so on .

Religion may provide some degree of solace with a certain degree of faith that a divine power may help . Still , it can also be a form of escapism as the real cause of the problem has not been identified and hence the solution will not be forthcoming . This inability to solve a problem that may be simple to address , may lead one to a false sense of accomplishment which may recur in the future to an even worse degree .

NEED FOR MORE MENTAL HEALTH PROFESSIONALS

Police recorded 468 suicides in the first five months of 2021 , climbing from an annual 631 in 2020 and 609 in 2019 . At least two suicide deaths occurred daily on average from 2019 to May 2020 , according to a statement by ABIM released amid the coronavirus pandemic . This was further confirmed by the Bukit Aman CID Division , which stated that from 2019 to May

2021 , at least 281 men and 1,427 women committed suicide , with 872 of them between 15 and 18 years old .

These statistics , which show higher tendencies among the young , are quite alarming . The police noted that the three main reasons for suicides include troubled family relationships , emotional pressure and financial constraints .

A typical example of a young student having family relationship problems is when parents practise “ conditional love ” where the child is only loved if they live up to specific conditions . This parenting style is the top reason for damaging the child ’ s mental health .

It happens when the parent expects the child to do well in a certain subject in school so that the child can realise their ( usually the parent ’ s ) ambition to be someone they are not inclined to be - a doctor , lawyer and so on .

This can also lead to self-harm , drugs and alcohol abuse and others .

This anxiety , stress and depression can lead to binge eating , bulimia and other eating disorders . The problem of children and young adults being overweight is also made worse due to the consumption of fast foods .

Among the more affluent parents in urban areas , mental health professionals can be available to assess the child and provide the proper diagnosis and treatment through counselling sessions . However , among the B40s and also in areas outside the major cities of Kuala Lumpur , Penang and Johor Baru , these professionals are scarce .

HEALTH EDUCATION MUST BEGIN IN SCHOOLS

In essence the issue of mental health in Malaysia is a time bomb waiting to explode . While mental health has been a pervasive long-standing public health issue , the MoH recognises that NGOs have been steadfast partners of the Ministry since the 1970s providing

ADI SATRIA , a veteran in the marketing communications industry , understands human behaviour as it is a basic requirement in his professional work in changing consumer mindsets . It is time to take more serious steps to address the growing s uicide tendency in the country . mental health and psychosocial support services .

Good mental health is every individual ’ s right . And a country ’ s progress very much depends on the mental health of its people . It is time to take this issue seriously and institute specific measures .

It should start with the education system to attract students in psychiatry , clinical psychology and counselling in all higher education institutes , which will produce more graduates in the mental health field . More mental health specialists in government hospitals and clinics should be encouraged to stay on with better financial benefits to avoid moving to the private sector . This is to fulfill the needs of the B40 group and to fulfill the need for every local health clinic in every town to have at least one psychiatrist . The need to tackle the mental health problems within this lower-income group must be seriously recognised and addressed urgently .

While I have heard mental health issues being discussed over at least one major commercial radio station , there must be a major media campaign to change people ’ s negative perceptions and stereotyping towards mental health diseases . In developed countries , paying a psychiatrist for counselling is a normal and even prestigious thing to do .

And health education must begin in schools to cover not just proper physical health and proper nutritional practice , but also to inculcate the importance of mental healthcare among students and youth for the welfare and progress of society .

Social media also has one major problem – cyberbullying . As more young people take to social media , their relationship with the real world becomes secondary and may lead to further issues , including suicide . Parliament has just passed a Bill to decriminalise attempted suicide which is another positive step to recognise the cause and work towards tackling the issues and providing a solution . – The Health