Mental Disorder

Letter to Editor


Mental illness is a subject very few people wish to talk about but it is a reality which we have to grapple with.

Amok and suicide cases reported in the media from time to time involving mentally sick persons which are of concern to us are tragic reminders of another side of life less talked about but nevertheless very real.

It is a reality which must not be overlooked or ignored in our quest to become a fully industrialized nation.

It is estimated that one in four family members is suffering from a mental disorder in Malaysia. Ten to fifteen of the cases are suicidal or could harm other people.

There is growing evidence of the global impact of mental illness. Mental health problems are among the most important contributors to the burden of disease and disability worldwide.

According to the World Health Organisation (WHO) it is believed that depression will be one of the largest health problems worldwide by the year 2020. Health surveys have shown that mental disorders occur in about one in five individuals or 20 per cent of the world population each year.

In a national health study carried out in Malaysia in 1996 it was noted that 10.7 per cent of the population had mental illness. The study revealed that 10.5 per cent of adults in the country suffer minor forms of mental illness such as stress, anxiety, excessive worrying, psychosis, schizophrenia and split personality.

The rapid social change and economic uncertainty arising from globalization will result in an increasing number of our workforce subjected to anxiety, depression and mental stress in relation to their jobs and working lives.

The impact that mental illness inflicts on the workers, their families, workplaces and the community is immense and needs to be addressed.

Mental health has often been a topic of low priority for the community and governments. In previous years it was not given adequate attention in comparison to other health issues.

But increasingly as reflected worldwide, mental health is gaining more and more prominence.

In promoting mental health, the workplace is where attention should be focused. This is because the impact of mental health problems in the workplace has serious consequences not only for the individual but also for the productivity of the enterprise.

Employee performance, rates of illness, absenteeism, accidents and staff turnover are all affected by employees’ mental health status.

As the workplace is one of the key environments that affect our mental well-being and health, guidelines should be introduced to assist employers to promote mental health and care amongst their employers.

Stigma must be overcome so that people with mental illness would be more willing to seek care and accept that mental health and mental illness are part of the mainstream of health and they are a concern for all.

No country or person is immune to mental disorders and their impact in psychological, social and economic terms is high. Mental health should no longer be ignored in our community. On the contrary it should be given adequate attention in relation to other health problems.