out that psychiatrist would look at whether they would be feeling sad or depressed.

“ This kind of feeling must be there persistently; continuously throughout the day for at least two weeks which is associated with no joyousness.”

“ You don’ t feel a sense of enjoyment with the things that you use to do. These are two prominent symptoms that reflect in patients who have the disorder.”

“ Other type of changes include sleep changes where a patient might feel tired, slow

in their thinking and reduced in concentration. They might feel guilty, feel that they’ re useless, they are taking up other people’ s opportunity and some even think of harming themselves because they believe that they’ re a burden to the family, a burden to the society and its better off for them not to exist.”

He advised family members to look out for these symptoms and drag the patient to get the treatment they need as in most cases, it is difficult to get them to see a doctor.

The four vital components for wellbeing

ENTAL health is important at every stage of life. Taylor’ s University Clinical School, School of Medicine Associate Professor in Psychiatry, Associate Professor Dr Xavier Vincent Pereira disclosed that mental health has got to do with wellness and wellbeing. It is also how we perceive the make-up of human being.

“ The make-up of a human being— physical, psychological, social and spiritual— is also part of the definition on health given by the World Health Organisation( WHO). So wellbeing is to be healthy in all four areas.

“ Based on this definition, it is not the mere absence of illness but being well physically, psychologically, socially and spiritually which translates to happiness,” he said.

He explained that if one is able to cope with stress, internal and external environmental issues psychologically, then one would not have the stresses that can contribute to psychological and social ill health.

“ If you look at research in happiness, there are a number of factors. Today there is a lot of word on relationships and happiness. So, if you have good interpersonal relationships, socially it contributes better. Then, if you have meaning in life – you do meaningful things, your work if meaningful – it contributes to happiness,” he added.

Apart from highlighting the ability to adjust and adapt to various situations as a contributing factor to a person’ s wellbeing and happiness, he emphasised the need to exercise which helps in the release of serotonin, have six to eight hours of sleep as poor sleep contributes to mental ill health and vice versa, a healthy diet, to cut down on stimulants, have alcohol in moderation and cut down of caffeine which aggravates anxiety.

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SCHIZOPHRENIA is a mental disorder that usually appears in late adolescence or early adulthood. Characterised by delusions, hallucinations and other cognitive difficulties, it can be a lifelong struggle. It affects more than 21 million people around the world.

Universiti Putra Malaysia Faculty of Medicine & Allied Health Sciences senior lecturer Dr Michael Ang Jin Kiat explained that the symptoms of schizophrenia include positive, negative and disorganised symptoms.

“ Positive symptoms refer to the presence of psychotic behaviours not seen in healthy people. People with positive symptoms often“ lose touch” with reality. These symptoms can come and go. Sometimes they are severe and at other times hardly noticeable, depending on

BIPOLAR disorder also known as manic-depressive illness is similar to major depressive disorder and schizophrenia whereby it is a brain disorder.

It causes unusual shifts in mood, activities, energy and the ability to carry out day-to-day tasks which can last days to months.

Universiti Putra Malaysia Faculty of Medicine & Allied Health Sciences senior lecturer Dr Michael Ang Jin Kiat explained that at one time they tend to be very happy, and the other they might be very low with periods of depression.

“ For major depressive disorder

ONE area of mental health that people often forget is functioning.

Taylor’ s University Clinical School, School of Medicine Associate Professor in Psychiatry, Associate Professor Dr Xavier Vincent Pereira emphasised that three areas of functioning is often affected when a person has mental health problems: 1. Social functioning: Where a person tends to withdraw from others which whether the individual is receiving treatment.”

Positive symptoms include hallucinations— a sensory perception in the absence of stimuli— may be disrupted by other features arising from external space which cannot be stopped at will, arises in clear conscious and possess the quality of a real percept.

“ Delusions is another positive symptom where they may believe that there are people out there that are trying to harm him / her, or he or she may believe that they are on top of the world, is the riches person in the world, or he received a special message from god so he needs to carry out certain missions.”

“ The illness transmits all these information into the brain, and their brain tells them that it’ s true. To him it’ s very true – to us it is not true.”

Negative symptoms includes neglecting self-care, isolating oneself at home and not wanting to leave, staying in bed almost all day and not wanting to do anything. They may also suffer mood changes – they can become sad, happy and irritable which disrupts a person’ s life.

– they are very low all the time, compared to bipolar disorder.”

“ When their too happy, there is an increase in their activities – they might be very energetic, sleep very little, do a lot of things, some of them might start projects, start studies, they would want to do investments and when their off from these episodes, they realise that they can’ t afford all these.”

This may be manifested by grandiosity, decreased need of sleep, talkativeness, flight of ideas, distractibility, goal directed activities and pleasurable activities which have negative consequences.

is a social consequence of the illness. They would usually have problems in relationships and would get into trouble with people almost all the time. 2. Occupational functioning: When one is ill; physical or mental— ones occupational functioning becomes impacted where the person cannot do their work as before. Illness makes the person feel tired, mentally they may not be alert so attention, concentration and memory may be affected especially the normal mental disorders, and as part of depression – they don’ t feel the drive or motivation to work. 3. Personal functioning: Grooming, feeding self, toileting, banking, driving— activities of daily living would also be neglected. in Malaysia is still insufficient with only one psychiatrist per 100,000 population to serve the growing number of patients with mental health issues.

He was referring to the World Health Organisation Global Health Observatory data in 2014.

“ The best way to overcome the scarce of resources is to educate, empower and enable the population to care for their own mental health. This can be done by promoting good mental health, preventing mental illness, recognising ill mental health and effectively seeking help.”

This can be done, he said, by raising the mental health literacy to recognise

STATISTICS based on National Health & Morbidity Survey 1996, 2006, 2011, 2015( Prevalence of Psychiatric Morbidity)

. 3 in 10 adults( 16 years and above) have some sorts of mental health problems( 29.2 %)

. The prevalence of mental health problems among adults increased from:

specific disorders or different types of psychological distress, knowledge and beliefs about risk factors and causes, selfhelp interventions, the professional help

10.7 % in 1996 to 11.2 % in 2006 11.2 % to 29.2 % in 2015

available, attitudes which facilitate recognition and appropriate help-seeking and knowledge of how to seek mental health information.

Risk factors( adults):

• Females, younger adults and adults from low income families.

• The overall prevalence of mental health problem among children was 12.1 %( children 5 to 15 years old).

• Mental illness is expected to be the second biggest health problem affecting Malaysians after heart disease by 2020.