World Mental Health Day: Teen mental health often neglected, untreated
NURUL AISYAH MOHD NOR10 Oct 2022 07:48am
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Mental health disorder is no crime. It needs treatment, not a global alarming where the stigma of its number of people who suffering with mental health illness keep increasing. Mental health illness is a major community health concern where depression and anxiety name as the two most common associated.
A regional health report by reliefweb.int stated that the mental health of children and adolescents aged 0 to 18 is one of the most neglected health issues globally.
World Health Organisation reported that globally, it is estimated that 1 in 7 of adolescents aged 10 to 19, experience mental health conditions, yet these remain largely unrecognised and untreated.
What are the reasons behind the neglection?
Psychiatrist, Dr Nurul Syuhaida Abdul Razak came forward in voicing her opinions of issues within mental health issues among adolescents.
Psychiatrist, Dr Nurul Syuhaida Abdul Razak
Dr Syuhaida told that the lack of specific protection for children and adolescents to mental health services' access are among the causes of neglection as they are bound to parental consent in order to get treatment, taking medications and admission to psychiatric ward.
“As for Malaysia scenarios, the Mental Health Act 2005 has put the need the need to parental consent for children below 18. They are categorized as minor thus minor did not able consent for their own treatment for psychiactric admission and surgery despite they can expressed the need for treatment and therapy.
“Due to this legislative barriers making them assessing to mental health services are limited except to the school counsellors,” she told Sinar Daily in an interview.
She said the Autonomy (the right to make decisions) were not exercised fully to this age group and that the psychiatric ward also not designed for this age group's admission due to the legislative barriers.
Mental health problems are one of the main causes of the overall disease burden worldwide, how can we work as a society to not downplay the issues among the young?
Dr Syuhaida urged everyone to understand that mental health does not equate to mental illness and it should be normalized that people getting treatment as the signs of courage rather than weakness.
"Society should refrain themselves from making judgment towards them without knowing what is the dynamic behind. Despite knowing the dynamic, judgement make them feel ashamed and not empowered,” she firmly urged.
THE ADOLESCENTS NEED A BACKBONE
Various family dynamics such as divorced parents, family adversity, could also be contributing factors to teens experienced mental health issues.It is vital to put the needs of children and adolescents as priority including their mental health.
The neglection of untreated child may also resulting from unsupportive and awareness-lacking parents whereas accepting, acknowledging and embracing is actually the way to strengthen substantial support for the child.
“It is okay to get help. That doesn't mean you are less of a parent but it means the world to them. The caring gestures, the understanding and the shared-decision making process empowered between parent and children is indeed priceless.
“As a parent, It is not the problem that we need to worry but how we are going to solved and go through this together,” Dr Syuhaida advised.
GENDER RELATIVE
The development patterns of the gender difference beyond adolescence have been largely neglected empirically.
Dr Syuhaida once again differentiated the difference in depression rates between male and female adolescents, highlighting the prevalence might be around the same with female slightly higher.
“Female often expressed their emotions better with words and actions.
“However, male being culturally related to somewhat "they need to be strong, boys can't cry" make the emotions were less expressed in words but more keep inside, being irritable, and involved in conduct problems more,” she revealed.
SOCIAL MEDIA PRESSURE
Recently, a Malaysian teen actress went viral for revealing details of what her abusive father had done in the past that took a toll on her childhood.
Things went off the rails when many responded with negative comments towards the actress revealed her father's doing. But in the midst of the the chaos there were some who showed concern for the actress who was diagnosed with depression.
The situation of the teen actress is very closely related to how this social media plays a role in being the cause of depression or worsen the state of mental health.
Dr Syuhaida disclosed that cyber bullying is one of the precipitating factors to the interactions.
“The world is at the end of the fingertips; gossip spread fast, satisfactions were potrayed in status and stories, body shaming is common and things went viral easily hence people were judged based on their social medias without knowing the real truth,” she said.
She further assured that the amount of time with social media indeed has reduced the teens social skills significantly and the ability to tolerate frustration among them has become very low.
Dr Syuhaida said choosing the correct outlet, reliable people to talk is the other alternatives for teens to choose besides going for the therapy treatment in hospital.
“They can also go to many mental health NGOs which can help support them in term of referral for treatment or buddy support. Again, speak up. It is time to end the stigma against mental health,” she urged.
Venting to social medias may not be effective as it may lead to many perceptions.
“It is good if they can come to see the doctors in primary care settings and get an assessment for themselves. The primary care doctors may refer to the psychiatry or clinical psychologist depending on the severity for further management,” she told.
Meanwhile there are efforts by the government to address these mental health issues. For example, the recent Budget 2023 had included an allocation of RM34 million to establish a National Mental Health Centre of Excellence that acts as an integrated driving force between all parties for the well-being of the people’s mental health under MyMYNDA.
