Written by Nor Alia Yasmin Wong binti Muhammad Firdaus Wong
Mental illness also called
mental health disorders are refer to the wide range of mental health conditions
that affect everything about your mood, thinking and behavior. Those mental
illness include depression, anxiety disorders, schizophrenia, eating disorders
and addictive behaviors. Many people have mental health concern from time to
time but a mental health concern becomes a mental illness when ongoing signs
and symptoms cause frequent stress and affect the ability to function in your
daily life. It is stated by World Health Organization (WHO) that half of all
mental health conditions started at the age of 14 and the suicide is the third
leading cause of death in 15-19 years old. Multiple physical, emotional and
social changes including abuse or violence can make them vulnerable to mental
health problem. From the press statement of the minister of health Malaysia in
2016, Datuk Seri Dr S.Subravaniam stated that in worldwide, mental disorders
affect more than 450 million people. World Health Organization (WHO) also
estimates 1 in 4 people are affected by mental disorders at some point in their
lives. Depression alone accounts for 4.3% of the global burden of disease and
is among the largest cause of disability worldwide. The National Health and
Morbidity Survey (NHMS) conducted by the Ministry of Health in 2015 revealed
that the prevalence of mental health problems among those 16 years and above is
29.2%.1 in 3 Malaysian have mental health issues with highest prevalence among
those aged 16-19 years .
In order to understand the
causes of mental health problems amongst youth, it is important to understand lifestyle.
Increasing in mental health problems are not something new .When the pandemic strikes,
it is likely that the increase is even higher as the uncertainty could threaten
our sense of safety and bring a sense of hopelessness in individuals especially
when they experience stressful life events. This includes loss of income,
family conflicts and loss of loved ones during pandemic. The National Health and Morbidity Survey
(NHMS) that was conducted in 2015 also stated that the bottom 40 %(B40) income
group recorded a higher rate of mental health conditions (32%) compared to the
non-B40 group (28%).More cases relating to social issues and mental illness
during the MCO have continued to emerge. Health Minister Datuk Seri Adham Baba
told the Dewan Rakyat last December that 465 attempted suicide cases were
referred to the ministry for treatment between January to July 2020. In
November last year , the police revealed that 266 individuals had taken their
own lives between March and October with 25% of the cases relating family.Relate
Mental Health Malaysia Bhd (Relate Malaysia) told The Malaysian Reserve (TMR)
that they have received an increase of cases where people need psychological
help.
The Mental Illness Awareness and
Support Association highlighted the barrier in accessing mental healthcare
services where stigma, discrimination, abuse, inequality exacerbated the situation.
The association called out the society to eliminate stigma and discrimination
associated with mental health. The National Health and Morbidity Survey (2019)
noted that 424,000 youths and children suffered from mental health problems
with higher prevalence rates observed among girls. The coping mechanism among today’s
generation are different as they are exposed to more factors that can
emotionally and physically affect them in life. Stress is among the main factor
that can lead to mental illness .It can cause a number of physical ailments
such as chronic headache, difficulty sleeping or eating disorder. It will
affect the person to perform or function normally and productively. Struggling
to cope with studies, family expectations and relationship problem are among
the concern among youth. Competition and the need to be on far ahead of their
peers also cause stress. Apart from that, social media has a huge influence on
the mental health of youth. These young and very socially connected individuals
feel the need to live up to a certain lifestyle as portrayed by their peers on
social media. They start to compare themselves but fail to realize that life is
not picture perfect .High expectations from the family and friends also give big
influence to someone’s life. We are raised in a society where we are expected
to be perfect and follow a standard path to succeed in life and these cause
friction among youth with their parents.
In conclusion, it is very important for youth to realize
that it is not wrong to seek help when they have a problems. You don’t have to
carry the weight of the world on your shoulders and seeking help is not a sign
of weakness. Life is subjective and everyone handles stress, crisis or trauma differently.
Ask yourself whether the situation is making it difficult for you to function.
If you feel like reaching out to someone, go ahead and it does not have to be a
specialist. It can be anyone within your circle. You need to remind yourself
that you don’t have to compare yourself with other people and never let someone
tell you that you shouldn’t feel the way you do. Although mental disorders
should be managed by mental health care professionals or appropriately trained
primary care providers, the obstetrician-gynecologic can assist by managing the
gynecologic adverse effects of psychiatric medications and by providing
effective conctraception and regular screening for STIs.
References:
- https://www.acog.org/clinical/clinical-guidance/committee-opinion/articles/2017/07/mental-health-disorders-in-adolescents#:~:text=The%20most%20common%20mental%20illnesses,people%20aged%2015%E2%80%9324%20years.
- https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/adolescent-mental-health
- https://www.easyuni.my/en/advice/malaysian-teens-mental-health-2444/ https://www.mentalhealthfirstaid.org/external/2020/11/10-surprising-mental-health-statistics-from-2020/
- https://www.thestar.com.my/news/education/2021/04/04/youth-suicide https://codeblue.galencentre.org/2020/06/11/childrens-mental-health-the-hidden-epidemic/
