Coping with mental health challenges termed shared responsibility

PESHAWAR: Speakers on Sunday called for joint efforts to cope with the rising mental health challenges as psychiatrists and psychologists alone could not carry out the task.

They were speaking on the second day of the training workshop on suicide prevention arranged by the Horizon non-governmental organisation, Pakistan Psychiatric Research Centre, Fountain House Lahore, and the World Psychiatric Association (WPA).

Psychiatrists, clinical psychologists, academicians and civil society activists attended the event. WPA President Dr Afzal Javed was the chief guest.

University of Malakand Vice-Chancellor Prof Dr Rashid Ahmad was the guest of honour.

The resource persons included Prof Dr Nazish Imran, head of Department of Child and Family Psychiatry at King Edward Medical University and Mayo Hospital, Lahore, a senior psychiatrist from Islamabad, Dr Siama Qureshi, Prof Dr Mian Mukhar Azeemi, Dr Ali Ahsan Mufti and Dr Khalid Mufti.

Prof Dr. Nazish Imran in her session talked about suicide prevention in a special population with a focus on children and adolescents.

Dr Siama Qureshi talked about counselling tips. She mentioned the dos and don’ts for mental health experts while dealing with children and adolescents.

Dr Ali Ahsan Mufti facilitated a session comprising six participants of the training, mostly from two far-off Chitral districts who shared their experiences.

Dr Khalid Mufti dwelt on the missing links in the management of suicide risks. He said a full investigation is needed for the proper treatment, not just looking at the symptoms. Dr Rashid Ahmad offered the organisers to arrange such trainings at the University of Malakand and assured them all cooperation for that.

The chief guest, Dr Afzal Javed, said it was a fact that people in every part of the world, including the developed countries, suffered from mental health issues though to varied degrees.

He lamented that stigma remains attached to mental illnesses. “The mental health practitioners need the civil society members’ help to identify and treat the people facing mental health issues,” he added.

The WSA chief said the real objective of this training was to raise awareness about the issue as those who were trained here can help others to carry out the task at the primary level in their own areas.

The WSA chief said religion and family were the most important protective institutions which could address the issue of suicide. “Religion gives us a direction in our lives while family gives us a sense of belonging. These bonds need to be strengthened,” he added.

Dr Afzal Javed said mental health experts need the help of sociologists, teachers and others to bridge the gap present in addressing the issue.