Addressing mental health

Oct 17, 2024 Editorial

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Kaieteur News – Last week October 10, 2024 was observed as World Mental Health Day. The day was observed under the theme “Mental Health at Work”.

The theme, as explained by Member of Parliament, Dr. Karen Cummings was pertinent as there is a crucial and critical link between mental health and work environs. She stressed that poor working conditions, unsafe and unsupportive work environments, pressure from deadlines, isolation from the family, increase in stigma and discrimination, heavy workloads and inflexible shifts, unsafe equipment, poor light and limited resources – all lead to poor productivity and poor mental health.

In Guyana as the authorities continue to raise awareness on the subject, individuals with mental health problems are often summarily dismissed as “mad people”. However, in more enlightened jurisdictions, mental health is a broad concept that covers more than direct health issues and includes areas such as housing, education, justice, the arts, and community participation. It should be obvious, therefore, that to deal effectively with the problem, a broad coalition of institutions and experts, drawn from diverse fields apart from the medical field, would have to be crafted.

One mental health disorder that we have attempted to highlight in this newspaper, because it is so endemic in our country yet is studiously ignored, is “depression.” This rather innocuous term, which suggests a rather mild mood downswing, is actually a signal that specific neuro-chemical processes in the brain are not assisting it to generate positive thoughts of well-being.

At the deepest physical level, we are chemical beings, and the connection between the physical body and the mind, in which our sense of self-worth is generated, is mediated by these neuro-chemical changes in our brains. Because of this connection, it should be of no great surprise that depression can produce severe disorders in the physical body.

For the individual, if depression is left untreated, it can generate tremendous suffering over long periods and stymie personal accomplishments. In the aggregate, a nation of depressed citizens will never actualise that nation’s real potential and that nation will remain underdeveloped. The spread of democracy in the modern era was spurred by the broad acceptance of the utilitarian credo of “the greatest happiness/good for the greatest number”.

It is the responsibility of modern governments to accept that the same focus that is brought to bear on “development” from an economic perspective has to be brought to bear on the interior landscape of the citizenry, where happiness in the long run is actually generated. In any case, depression can sink even immaculately carved development plans, if the individuals who are supposed to implement those plans cannot motivate themselves to work at their optimum, because of depression.

Then there are the societal disruptions, and costs such as drug and alcohol abuse that can be precipitated by depression – not to mention the finality of suicides. Depression, even when diagnosed, often remains untreated, because of the social stigma attached to any mental disorder on account of the aforementioned “mad people” label.

Even in mild cases, the sufferers are dismissed as being weak and “not taking charge” of their lives, which culminates in their unsuccessful careers. The individuals begin to accept the tag of “losers”. Early knowledge of what is behind the observed symptoms would alert sufferers of whatever age group to seek early treatment. There are many students and other young people, for instance, who remain untreated and eventually succumb to suicidal urges. The Ministry of Health has acknowledged the scourge of depression and other mental health issues and has made several attempts at getting a handle on the issue.

We agree with Dr. Cummings that the government also should guard against practices and unrealistic schedules that can mitigate good mental health and that it should address the problem at work and minimise the risks that exist. High levels of stress that result in burnout should be given immediate attention.

Even in the medical arena, there is the need for a team effort: a psychiatrist in collaboration with that of a clinical psychologist, a social worker and an occupational therapist. In this multi-disciplinary approach, the individual patient’s physical health — hormonal, injury, drugs and neurotransmitters factors — together with the psychological factors — personality, grooming, education, childhood etc. – are dealt with. We urge that civil society groups be mobilised to assist the governmental initiative to deliver better mental health care to our citizenry.

(Addressing mental health)

 

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• Connection, depression, Dr. Karen Cummings, experts, mad people, mental health

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