Staff Reporter
Islamabad
President Dr Arif Alvi Saturday urged the countrymen to battle against stress and depression while doing away with the taboos attached with the conditions. The president said this in his message on Twitter on the occasion of World Mental Health Day annually observed on October 10 with an objective of raising awareness of mental health issues around the world and mobilizing efforts in support of mental health.
‘You are braver than (you) believe, stronger than (you) appear & smarter than (you) think. Do what’s necessary, then do what’s possible & suddenly you will be doing the impossible as today is only a start for a happier tomorrow,’ the president remarked. This year, the Mental Health Day is being observed with the theme of ‘move for mental health: let’s invest.’
Meanwhile, leading psychiatrists of the country Saturday on ‘World mental health day’ called for creating awareness among the people to avoid unscientific medical procedures while treating the patients in this regard. Experts urged individuals, families, communities, employers and all stakeholders to join efforts to further strengthen the mental health system in the country.
Executive director Punjab Institute of Mental Health (PIMH) Dr Muhammad Ashraf talking to PTV news channel said the World Mental Health Day is commemorated annually on 10 October to raise awareness on mental health, its causes and risk factors. The day is also used to combat stigma and discrimination against those living with mental disorders, he added.
He called for well-planned public awareness and education campaigns to do away with the stigma and discrimination, increase the use of mental health services, and bring mental and physical health care closer to each other. He said this year, the topic of mental health has perhaps become the most important one due to the coronavirus pandemic, and the effect it has had on the mental state of humans for the past 9-10 months.
This year’s World Mental Health Day, on 10 October, comes at a time when our daily lives have changed considerably as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, he said. While giving tips on effective stress management, he said that occurrences of stress could be reduced if people remained steady and demonstrated an assertive behaviour rather being aggressive.
He suggested that positive thinking, taking good nutrition, regular exercise, and a balanced diet were integral components required for mental health. Another expert Dr Shabnam said that mental health is one of the most neglected areas of public health and despite the impact of mental health conditions on individuals, families and society there has been little investment in mental health.
She stressed that the development of physical health as well as mental health is essential for building a better life and a happier prosperous country. Most of Pakistan’s population lives in rural areas, has low literacy rates, and no knowledge of the disorder, and therefore people with mental illness are thought of as being possessed by a spirit.
Instead of consulting a psychiatrist they seek treatment from faith-based healers. Sometimes patients are beaten by a so-called therapist with the notion that they are inflicting pain to an evil spirit and not to the patient, she explained. However, such practices can be abolished from society by organizing awareness programmes and offering health-care services to people with schizophrenia, with a specific focus on rural areas, she added.
