Danger of alarming increase in mental illnesses
By Inam Ullah (Virtual University of Pakistan)
Mental disorders are not caused by any micro-organism like virus and bacteria. It’s the production of human itself. No virus or pathogen is involved in spreading it but its increase rate is alarming. In Pakistan there are five of every ten people has any type of mental disorder. The ratio has dramatically increased as compared to the near past.
When I was working as a salesman in a pharmacy at Peshawar, I used to notice most of the prescriptions were by psychiatrists. Some general physicians were also prescribing these drugs when they figured out no physical illness in patient except the negative thinking pattern of the person.
The ratio of the mental illnesses is different in different regions of Pakistan. Chitral is one of those regions which have attracted the attention of the experts. Increasing rate of suicides in Chitral is the sign which indicate some kind of problem in the mentality of the youth. Chitral got 5th number in the list of regions in KPK which have the highest ratio of suicides.
Concerned organizations have shifted their focus on Chitral. Seminars, workshops and mental illness awareness programs are organized by concerned people to awake the people of Chitral. The appreciable fact is that large number of youth is seen to be attendingwhen such program is held. This is a clear indication that people have realized the issue.
Chitrali society seemed to be impacted by mental illnesses not just because of the high ratio of suicide but there are many other indicators that can be point out. In village life most of the women suffer different types of mental disorders silently. These disorders are misunderstood by saying that the sufferer has any effect Jinn or Bhooth. Usually we see women get panic, epilepsy episodes and other mental issues, which are ignored due to lack of awareness and given credit to any invisible creature like Jinn or Bhooth.
If you get a chance to visit any mental hospital in Peshawar you will find out that the majority of the mental patients belong to Chitral. I personally have visited many hospitals and met many of Chitrali people who came here for the sake of treatment of their loved ones from any type of mental illness. These people have to travel to Peshawar because there is no mental hospital and even don’t have any Psychologist in any of the hospital of Chitral including the District Head Quarter Hospital of Chitral.
Many causes can be outlined to this dangerous increase in mental disorders. By focusing on Chitral one of the causes is lack of awareness on mental illnesses. When a person gets such type of disorder his surrounded people don’t understand that what actually the problem with the person is. They usually ignore it by giving the credit to any non-human creature like jinn etc. So the disorder stays undiagnosed and untreated and get stronger day by day and finally ruins the sufferer’s whole life.
Lack of awareness cannot be said the primary cause of mental illness. It could be the barrier in treatment because it makes the disorder stronger and get developed. It doesn’t cause the initiation for the problem. And making the people aware of the disorders as the organizations do is not the solution of the problem. It makes them understand the problem and treat it properly but it doesn’t help them protect themselves from these disorders. For making the people able to not get the disorders completely the main causes should be explored.
One of the primary causes of getting the mental disorder is in our education system. Our education system encourages competition rather than synergy. A child learns the bad habit of jealousy in his primary stages of life by competing with his fellows. Later on, this bad habit becomes his nature and leads him to depression when he finds that there is always a better than himself.
Competition should be discouraged in our schools. Team work and synergy should be encouraged and rewarded. Thus our future generations will learn to live a more peaceful life when they will not feel it necessary for success to beat others. By teaching our children the benefits of teamwork we will be able to make a peaceful society in future.
Family life also contributes to get mental illnesses for a person. A person who always hangs with problems in his family is more lightly to get depression. Besides that an open, caring and socially active family life is more relaxing for its members. Parents who listen to their children openly can become more effectively teach them to live life happily.
The numbers of mental patients increase day by day due to many causes. Our children can be protected from these life sucking illnesses by adding a subject related to basic Psychology to our school course which will guide our new generation to think productively. It is the necessity of the time that we stand up to protect our future generations. Info-zerogravity.blogspot.com shares full information about mental illnesses.
People who get mental disorders and don’t understand how to handle it can visit Zero Gravity. It provides the tools of understanding and managing all type of mental disorder and it also guides the youth to build their mind for productive thinking.