October 5-11 is Mental Health Awareness Week

Fast facts:
• Worldwide about 10% of pregnant women and 13% of women who have just given birth experience a mental disorder, primarily depression.
• In developing countries this is even higher, i.e. 15.6% during pregnancy and 19.8% after child birth.
• Worldwide 10 to 20% of children and adolescents experience mental disorders.
• Half of all mental illnesses begin by age 14 and three-quarters by mid-20s.
• Neuropsychiatric conditions are the leading cause of disability in young people in all regions.
• If untreated, these conditions severely influence children’s development, their educational attainments and their potential to live fulfilling and productive lives.

Know more about maternal and child mental health:
http://www.who.int/mental_health/maternal-child/en/

Let’s separate Myths from Facts:

Myth: Personality weaknesses or character flaws cause mental health problems. People with mental health problems can snap out of it if they try hard enough.

Fact: Mental health problems have nothing to do with being lazy or weak and many people need help to get better. Many factors contribute to mental health problems, including:
• Biological factors, such as genes, physical illness, injury, or brain chemistry
• Life experiences, such as trauma or a history of abuse
• Family history of mental health problems

People with mental health problems can get better and many recover completely.
http://www.mentalhealth.gov/basics/myths-facts/

Myth: People with Schizophrenia are violent.

Fact: The vast majority of people with mental health problems are no more likely to be violent than anyone else. Most people with mental illness are not violent and only 3% to 5% of violent acts can be attributed to individuals living with a serious mental illness. In fact, people with severe mental illnesses are over 10 times more likely to be victims of violent crimes than the general population.
http://www.mentalhealth.gov/basics/myths-facts/

Know more about Schizophrenia:
http://www.psychiatry.org/patients-families/schizophrenia

What are Anxiety disorders?

Occasional anxiety is a normal part of life. You might feel anxious when faced with a problem at work, before taking a test, or making an important decision. Anxiety disorders involve more than temporary worry or fear. For a person with an anxiety disorder, the anxiety does not go away and can get worse over time. These feelings can interfere with daily activities such as job performance, school work, and relationships.
Anxiety disorders are among the most common mental disorders.

Unlike the relatively mild, brief anxiety caused by a specific event, severe anxiety that lasts at least six months is generally considered to be a problem that might benefit from evaluation and treatment.

Anxiety disorders are treatable. If you think you have an anxiety disorder, talk to your doctor.

Know more about anxiety disorders:
https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/topics/anxiety-disorders/index.shtml

Depression

According to the WHO, at least 350 million people live with depression, and it is the leading cause of disability worldwide. It affects not only the person with depression, but their loved ones too.

Know more about depression:
http://www.who.int/mental_health/management/depression/flyer_depression_2012.pdf?ua=1

Suicide

For every 40 seconds, a person dies by suicide. Among young people 15-29 years of age, suicide is the leading cause of death globally.

Know more about suicide: http://www.who.int/mental_health/suicide-prevention/myths.pdf?ua=1 and http://apps.who.int/iris/bitstream/10665/131056/1/9789241564779_eng.pdf?ua=1&ua=1

Need professional help? Our Psychiatry Department is open 24/7 for all your concerns. For further inquiries and information, please call our Psychiatry department at 9881000 loc. 6282

Support Mental Health Act!

According to the WHO, 1 in 5 people suffer from mental health problems worldwide, yet there are only 0.05 psychiatrists per 100,000 people in the Philippines; most health insurance companies still do not cover mental health-related issues, and the stigma still weighs heavily on people suffering from mental illness.

If you want this to change, act now. Sign the petition for the country’s first ever Mental Health Act.

Support our Mental Health Act now!
https://www.change.org/p/mhactnow
Do these numbers have the power to move you?
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=Iq5VveUoeX8&feature=youtu.be