Mental health, like biological health should be taken seriously as brushing it aside, or worse still ignoring or avoiding it altogether could bring about dire consequences of unimaginable levels. As mental illness is often manifested in psychological aspect of one's well-being, it would very difficult for medical professionals to exactly diagnose the precise signs and symptoms of mental illness on just the first few visits by a patient. It would usually be through lengthy consultations over a period of at least three to six months that the diagnosis of mental illness could be identified.
I'm saying this from a lay person's point of view about mental health, from my own experience of knowing people suffering from mental illness. I found that by just being an empathic listener to people who are suffering from mental illness can make a whole world of difference to them. By being open-minded and receptive to the fact that mental illness is just like a biological illness, accepting and acknowledging it will be easier than most people would think. I'm not afraid to say I was initially wary and judgemental towards people suffering from mental illness.
However, I thank God for opening up my mind and allow me to be more receptive to the plight of people suffering from mental illness. It's because of this I now don't have issues to be an empathic listener and a friend to these people. At the end of the day, mental illness or not, all of us are actually created equal by God. Maybe one major difference would be some of us would have to struggle to cope with one or more chronic illnesses than others, but this doesn't mean that for those who have to cope with chronic illnesses especially mental illness, they would be less human than people who are completely free of chronic illnesses.
I suppose the key to understanding mental health and mental illness would disseminating the right information to the public. In fact, the book shown below is an excellent source of basic information on depression and other related mental disorders/illnesses in lay person's language:
Title: The American Medical Association Essential Guide to DepressionAuthor: The American Medical Association
Year: 1998
ISBN: 0-671-01016-6
If the public have the access to the basic information they need to know about mental health and mental illness, hopefully this can change the skewed perception and banish the social stigma often associated with it. This is important to ensure any society for that matter to move in the right direction and treat people suffering from mental illness with more dignity and respect.
What goes around comes around in the end, a little kindness and fairness goes a long way to help these people out... won't you agree with me?
I saw the papers yesterday that one teenager and a woman with a child commited suicide because of mental disorder due to relationships failure.Both had emotional disorder.
ReplyDeleteThe mother I wouldn't blame because of financial distress and a distraughted husband and the burden of raising her kid must have spur her to jump from her tall storey upper apartment,apart from a diagnosis of mental problem.
But the teenager jumped from her school second floor and sustained head injuries which causes her death had a failed relationship with her boyfriend at the age of 17.I felt so bad because I onced was tormented with relationship problems.
I went to seek doctors when I was young and was treated well. I recovered from my wounds - mental distress due to psychological problems because of the burden of studies. I believe in responding to treatment by taking your medicine, and only that can make you well.
Many patients either do not have the money to seek treatment or MOST of them do not want to take their MEDICATIONS that caused them their deaths because they are unable to cope without the help of medicines.
I sincerely hope the world would respond to their doctor's plea to take their medicine because in doing so,does healing comes and your brains will function well that will get you to thinking properly.
Mental illness although it's a biological disease, unfortunately its manifestation is rarely straightforward and extremely difficult to diagnose because it affects the psychological aspect of one's well-being and it's not visually tangible.
ReplyDeleteThus, not only doctors should give the required medical support but unconditional emotional support from family and friends are also crucial to ensure people suffering from mental illness are able to cope with and manage their condition well and properly.
Discrimination and social stigma against these people would only worsen their mental health condition.