Mental Health on Law Enforcement

As one who is actively involved in the promotion of good mental health, I am of the view that enforcing the law on attempted suicide as a form of deterrence is not the solution to handling cases of attempted suicides. It is the wrong panacea to deal with what is basically a mental problem which needs counseling and not law enforcement.

I share the response from various Non-Government Organisations (NGOs) and the opinion of psychiatrists that using the law to deal with attempted suicide is not going to work. On the contrary it may even aggravate the problem as the victims concerned will be more driven to commit suicide.

It must be remembered that the victims are genuinely in need of help. Those who attempt suicides are in trouble, depressed and are having serious psychiatric disorders. The affected people need emotional support and counseling. Prosecuting them is just unthinkable.

Suicide is an emotional problem which must be sorted out appropriately.

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.

The rapid social change and economic uncertainty arising from globalization will result in an increasing number of people 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.

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.

Mental health problems, especially stress-related ones among Malaysians are a matter of serious concern and need to be addressed urgently so that problems like depression, mental illness and psychiatric disorders can be avoided.

In line with this, it might be timely for the government to do more for mental health care and promotion. We need more psychologists and counsellors to provide care and attention.

Promoting mental health requires joint efforts between the government and relevant NGOs as well as volunteers working in unison to promote mental well-being. A comprehensive community mental health programme is therefore needed to encourage the community to be better informed about mental health issues and how they can play an effective role in promoting mental health and helping the mentally ill.