The recent National Morbidity Health Survey 2015 (NMHS2015) found that nearly 30% of Malaysians suffer from a mental health condition. Meaning that in Malaysia nearly 9 million people are walking the streets with conditions such as attention deficit hyperactive disorder, anxiety disorders, depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, substance use disorder or dementias including Alzheimer’s or vascular dementia.
Sadly, stigma is still a big problem and this leads to a number of difficulties such as delay in accessing healthcare and also reduce priority of mental health within the health agenda. A study conducted by Associate Professor Dr Koh Ong Hui from University Malaya found that for people who first presented with psychosis, they had been unwell for as long as 5 years before seeking help and were having psychotic symptoms for 3 years before being diagnosed. The reason was that people were more comfortable seeking assistance from shamans or traditional healers rather than see a doctor specialising in mental illness. It was more culturally acceptable to see a “bomoh” rather than a psychiatrist.
The consequence of delayed treatment can be life threatening. Already in 2016 we have been made aware of two high profile incidents which the Malaysian Medical Gazette has played an instrumental role in trying to highlight namely the case of #arlinabanana and more recently #reachout. Both cases were the consequence of stigma and delayed help seeking behaviour. Both cases were negative and again shed a negative light to mental health. This is not yet including the issues of amok and mentally ill patients being equated with crime and violence, which studies have shown repeatedly to be extremely rare but often sensationalized by media.
In view of these incidents and the need to share a more positive story, the Department of Psychological Medicine University Malaya has teamed up with a number of health groups such as the Malaysian Medical Gazette, Malaysian Mental Health Association, Malaysian Psychiatric Association and Befrienders Kuala Lumpur to create more awareness in mental health. The icing to the cake is the Art Exhibition which will be on-going for the month of October at the University Malaya Art Gallery on the 5th floor, Chancellery Building, University Malaya. There will be paintings created by people with mental illness and also a generous donation by Dato Dr Tan Chee Khuan, a psychiatrist and artist who has painted 5 paintings on smartphone addiction.
Together with the art exhibition, in light of World Mental Health Day happening on the 10th of October, the team has also arranged public events on 1st and 22nd of October at the UM Art Gallery and on the 10th at the University Malaya Medical Centre. Do join us there for talks and forums on all that is mental health apart from the opportunity to meet up with experts be them psychiatrists, psychologists, occupational therapists and also mental health nurses. They have also taken the time to share what they do here in the MMG. We hope that you enjoy reading the articles.
On a final note, we would like to thank all individuals and organization who have helped to #reachout to those with mental illness. We hope you will enjoy the many articles and also participate with us in our activities in October. See you there.
Public Events of Note
1st October 2016 Venue: UM Art Gallery, 5th Floor Chancellory Building, University Malaya
830 – 900: Registration of guest
900 – 930: Launch of the Mental Health Art Exhibition
Professor Dr Faisal Rafiq Muhamd Adikan, Deputy Vice Chancellor (Infrastructure), University Malaya
Head, Department of Psychological Medicine
Psychiatric Association Malaysia
Malaysian Mental Health Association
Befrienders Kuala Lumpur
Malaysian Medical Gazette
930 – 1000 Public Talk: Suicide and Mental Health by Associate Professor Dr Muhamad Muhsin Ahmad Zahari, Consultant Psychiatrist and Hon Secretary Malaysian Psychiatric Association (MPA)
1000 – 1030: Tea Break
1030 – 1200: Public Forum: Managing Stress
Panelist: Associate Professor Dr Amer Siddiq Amer Nordin, Consultant Psychiatrist
Befrienders Kuala Lumpur
Counsellor/Psychologist
830 – 1600: Art Gallery Exhibition
1st to 30th October 2016 Venue: UM Art Gallery, 5th Floor Chancellory Building, University Malaya
Art Gallery Exhibition on Artwork by people living with mental illness
10th October 2016 Venue: Auditorium, 13th Floor Menara Selatan, University Malaya Medical Centre
800 – 815: Registration of guest
830 – 930: Launch of Mental Health Awareness Day Celebration
Director UMMC
Head, Department of Psychological Medicine
Malaysian Psychiatric Association
University Malaya Medical Centre Management
Befrienders Malaysia
Malaysian Mental Health Association
930 – 1000: Morning Tea
1000 – 1130: Forum: Dignity in Mental Health
Three member Panelist
1130: Adjourne
10th October – 15th October 2016 Venue: Concourse, Main Building Ground Floor, University Malaya Medical Centre
Week Long Mini Art Exhibition of artwork by patients with mental illness
22nd October 2016 Venue: UM Art Gallery, 5th Floor Chancellory Building, University Malaya
830 – 900: Registration of Guest
900 – 1200: Public Lecture on Various Mental Health Conditions
Psychiatrists and Mental Health Provider Department of Psychological Medicine, University Malaya
Malaysian Mental Health Association