Surge in mental cases, disturbances

By: Azlan Othman

Minister of Health delivering his speech -
Picture by: Azlan Othman

Although there is no specific study being carried out to determine the frequency of mental disease in the local community in the sultanate, the mental disease and disturbances have shown a surge annually.
Statistics from new cases and follow-up treatment at RIPAS outpatient department have indicated that it surged from 3,889 in 2002 to 6,082 cases in 2010.

Mental health problems among children

By Azlan Othman

Prof. Dr Abang Benett Abang Taha
Head of Psychiatry Department, RIPAS Hospital
Picture: Azlan Othman

Data from the RIPAS hospital has shown that 429 children and teenagers have registered with the mental health clinic since 2005. But what we have seen is just the tip of the iceberg as many problems have been misinterpreted as discipline or other problems.

'No health without mental health'

By: Diyana Ibrahim
BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN

Monday, November 28, 2011

Dr Ramli Hassan, Head of Ripas Hospital's Psychiatric Service Department, delivers his opening remarks during the World Mental Health Day 2011 Forum held at Centrepoint Hotel, Gadong on November 26.
Picture: BT/Yusri Adanan

"THERE is no health without mental health," Dr Ramli Hassan, psychiatric specialist and head of psychiatric services said during his welcoming speech at the World Mental Health Forum last Saturday.

"To care for mental health is as important as to care for physical health," Dr Ramli said.

"Mental illness constitutes a very big cost," he added, "not only in terms of the suffering endured by the mentally-ill patients, their families and friends, but also in terms of financial costs from lower individual productivity, costs of lifetime support for these patients and the yearly costs of treating and recovering these patients."

World mental Health Day 2011

 

Taken from:
Patilbprashant at http://www.slideshare.net/patilbprashant/world-mental-health-day-2011

Borneo Bulletin Article - Mental health: Is it really all in the mind?

By Dr Ramli Hassan, Specialist & Head of Psychiatric Services (Taken from Borneo Bulletin Weekend 22nd October 2011)

World Mental Health Day is celebrated throughout the world on October 10 of every year.

For 2011, the theme chosen by the World Federation of Mental Health (WFMH) is "The Great Push: Investing in Mental Health". This theme emphasises the importance of mental health at all levels of society and the importance of investing resources to ensure the maintenance of optimal mental health in all the members of a society.

The number of people suffering from mental illness in the community is large. In general, the rate of mental illness is higher in the more developed and urbanised societies as compared with the developing and less urbanised societies.

For example, in the United States, Europe and Japan, one in every four adults has some form of mental illness requiring treatment. This rate is lower in the less developed societies such as Malaysia where 11 per cent of the adult population suffer from some kind of mental illness. The prevalence rate of mental illness in Brunei is not known as no epidemiological study has been done on the subject.

From Brunei Times: MoH marks Mental Health Day today

Adam Radhi
BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN

Monday, October 10, 2011

THE Ministry of Health (MoH) will be observing World Mental Health Day today at the Raja Isteri Pengiran Anak Saleha (Ripas) Hospital.

Starting a month-long campaign, several exhibitor booths will be set up to raise awareness on mental illnesses, and will be exhibiting comprehensive information on symptoms, treatments and causes.

The ministry has organised four exhibitions throughout the nation that will run for a week each. Every district's hospital will host a week of exhibitors.

A spokesperson from the ministry said that a walkathon will be held to raise awareness, though they could not confirm when. They had confirmed that a forum on mental health will also be part of the programmes, slated to be held at the end of the month.

No further details are available.


Estimates from November last year show that 10 per cent of Bruneians suffer from some form of mental illness, with less than five per cent of the population developing more serious mental illnesses.


Last year's statistics from Ripas Hospital showed that there was a 62 per cent jump in diagnosed cases from 3,889 in 2002 to 6,335 in 2006. Some of the disorders treated included depression, bipolar disorder and schizophrenia.


Records of 2011 show that in the past five years, approximately 300 children and adolescents have been registered with the Psychiatric Department at the Ministry of Health for depression, emotional and behavioural problems.


A psychiatrist from Ripas Hospital said during last year's World Mental Health Day, a combination of genetic factors and various types of stresses are the main causes of mental illnesses in Brunei.


Individuals with a family history of mental illness also have a 10 per cent higher risk of developing a similar mental illness. About 70 to 80 per cent of the patients would see improvements in their condition after undergoing drug treatment.


According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), financial and human resources allocated for mental health are inadequate especially in low resource countries. The majority of low- and middle-income countries spend less than two per cent of their health budget on mental health. The Brunei Times

Selamat Menyambut Hari Kesihatan Mental Sedunia 2011

 
Program-program yang diadakan oleh Kementerian Kesihatan untuk menyambut Hari Kesihatan Mental Sedunia 2011:


1. Pameran:
Pameran Kesihatan Mental bertempat di:
(a) Hospital RIPAS, daerah Brunei Muara (10hb - 16hb Oktober 2011)
(b) Hospital PMMPMHAMB daerah Tutong (17hb - 23hb Oktober 2011)
(c) Hospital SSB, daerah Kuala Belait (23hb - 30hb Oktober 2011)
(d) Hospital PIHM, daerah Temburong (31hb Oktober - 6hb November 2011)


2. Media
(a) RTB 1 Rampai Pagi pada pukul 7.20am 11hb Oktober 2011
(b) Radio Pilihan (Bahasa Inggeris) pada pukul 12.00 tengahhari 13hb Oktober 2011
(c) Rangkaian Nasional (Bahasa Melayu) pada pukul 1.30 petang 13hb Oktober 2011
(d) Artikel di dalam Akhbar Borneo Bulletin dan Media Permata (pada minggu ini)


3. Walkathon
 Di Mukim AMO Temburong pada bulan November (tarikh akan ditetapkan)


4. Forum (untuk jemputan sahaja)
Akan berlangsung pada 26hb November 2011 (pagi) bertempat di Center Point Hotel .

Minggu Depan: World Mental Health Day (Hari Kesejahteraan Jiwa Sedunia) 2011

Hari Kesejahteraan Jiwa Sedunia 2011 akan diraikan di seluruh dunia pada minggu depan, iaitu pada hari Isnin, 10hb Oktober 2011.

Tema Hari Kesejahteraan Jiwa Sedunia 2011 ialah "Investing in Mental Health" (membuat pelaburan di dalam kesejahteraan jiwa).

Kami dimaklumi bahawa Jabatan Psikiatri di Hospital RIPAS telahpun merancang acara-acara untuk meraikan Hari Kesejahteraan Jiwa Sedunia tahun ini, dan aktiviti berkenaan akan berlangsung bukan saja pada 10hb Oktober 2011, tetapi berterusan untuk beberapa bulan. Tujuan acara-acara berkenaan adalah untuk meningkatkan kesedaran mengenai masalah kesejahteraan jiwa dan juga beban masalah kesejahteraan jiwa kepada individu, keluarga dan masyarakat. Juga diharapkan acara-acara berkenaan dapat melahirkan kesedaran mengenai faedah melabur di dalam kesejahteraan jiwa.

Kami di blog Kesejahteraan Jiwa Kitani menantikan berita selanjutnya dan akan menyampaikannya di sini secepat mungkin.

For your information

Source : Borneo Bulletin, Saturday 27th November 2010

Mental Health and Adjustment Disorder

Adjustment disorder is a short-term condition that occurs when a person is unable to cope with, or adjust to, a particular source of stress, such as a major life change, loss, or event. Because people with adjustment disorders often have symptoms of depression, such as tearfulness, feelings of hopelessness, and loss of interest in work or activities, adjustment disorder is sometimes called "situational depression." Unlike major depression, however, an adjustment disorder is triggered by an outside stress and generally goes away once the person has adapted to the situation.

The type of stress that can trigger adjustment disorder varies depending on the person, but can include:

•     Ending of a relationship or marriage.
•     Losing or changing job.
•     Death of a loved one
•     Developing a serious illness (yourself or a loved one).
•     Being a victim of a crime.
•     Having an accident.
•     Undergoing a major life change (such as getting married, having a baby,  or    retiring from a job).
•     Living through a disaster, such as a fire, flood, or hurricane.

A person with adjustment disorder develops emotional and/or behavioral symptoms as a reaction to a stressful event. These symptoms generally begin within three months of the event and rarely last for longer than six months after the event or situation. In an adjustment disorder, the reaction to the stressor is greater than what is typical or expected for the situation or event. In addition, the symptoms may cause problems with a person's ability to function; for example, the person may be unable to sleep, work, or study.

Adjustment disorder is not the same as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). PTSD generally occurs as a reaction to a life-threatening event and tends to last longer. Adjustment disorder, on the other hand, is short-term, rarely lasting longer than six months.

What Are the Symptoms of Adjustment Disorder?

An adjustment disorder can have a wide variety of symptoms, which may include:

•     Feeling of hopelessness.
•     Sadness.
•     Frequent crying.
•     Anxiety (nervousness).
•     Worry.
•     Headaches or stomachaches.
•     Palpitations (an unpleasant sensation of irregular or forceful beating of the heart).
•     Withdrawal or isolation from people and social activities.
•     Absence from work or school.
•     Dangerous or destructive behavior, such as fighting, reckless driving, and vandalism.
•     Changes in appetite, either loss of appetite, or overeating.
•     Problems sleeping.
•     Feeling tired or without energy.
•     Increase in the use of alcohol or other drugs.

Symptoms in children and teens tend to be more behavioral in nature, such as skipping school, fighting, or acting out. Adults, on the other hand, tend to experience more emotional symptoms, such as sadness and anxiety.
How Common Is Adjustment Disorder?

Adjustment disorder is very common and can affect anyone, regardless of gender, age, race, or lifestyle. Although an adjustment disorder can occur at any age, it is more common at times in life when major transitions occur, such as adolescence, mid-life, and late-life.
 
How Do I Find Out if I Have Adjustment Disorder?

If you suspect you may have an adjustment disorder, see your doctor. If symptoms are present, your doctor will perform a complete physical exam and ask questions about your medical history. Although there are no imaging or lab tests to specifically diagnose an adjustment disorder, the doctor may use some tests -- such as blood tests or X-rays -- to rule out physical illness as the cause of your symptoms. Your doctor will also look for other mental illnesses, such as post-traumatic stress disorder, major depression, or an anxiety disorder.

Your doctor bases his or her diagnosis of adjustment disorder on your report of the intensity and duration of symptoms -- including any problems with daily functioning caused by the symptoms. In general, an adjustment disorder is suspected if the level of distress is more intense than would normally be expected, given the stressor, or if the symptoms interfere with normal functioning.

If adjustment disorder is suspected, your doctor will likely refer you to a psychiatrist or psychologist, mental health professionals who are specially trained to diagnose and treat mental illnesses.
 
How Is Adjustment Disorder Treated?

Psychotherapy (a type of counseling) is the most common treatment for adjustment disorder. Therapy helps the person understand how the stressor has affected his or her life. It also helps the person develop better coping skills. Support groups can also be helpful by allowing the person to discuss his or her concerns and feelings with people who are coping with the same stress. In some cases, medication may be used to help control anxiety symptoms or sleeping problems.

If you have symptoms of adjustment disorder, it is very important that you seek medical care. Major depression may develop if treatment for adjustment disorder is not sought. Further, a substance abuse problem may result if you turn to alcohol or drugs to help you cope with stress and anxiety.

Most people with adjustment disorder recover completely. In fact, a person who is treated for adjustment disorder may learn new skills that actually allow him or her to function better than before the symptoms began.
 
Can Adjustment Disorder Be Prevented?

There is no known way to prevent adjustment disorder. However, strong family and social support can help a person work through a particularly stressful situation or event. The best prevention is early treatment, which can reduce the severity and duration of symptoms, and teach new coping skills.

 
Taken from: Web MD : Better Information Better Health
http://www.webmd.com/mental-health/mental-health-adjustment-disorder

Are u a Negative Thinker???

This is the kind of negative self-talk that feeds low self-esteem, anxiety and

depression. Negative self-talk is an accumulation of self-limiting messages that has become a habit. Breaking this destructive habit is possible, though it takes repetition and practice to learn more constructive and helpful ways of thinking.

Most negative self-talk is false, distorted, irrational, and self-defeating. We develop a habit of negative self-talk to protect ourselves. We use it to keep from trying things that may be scary or uncomfortable. "I can't do this" may really be a way of saying: "I don't want to face the risk of failing at this."

But our feelings don't have to control us. We can choose not to feel angry, guilty or frustrated. But to develop this control, we must learn to recognize negative self-talk and replace it with positive thoughts.  Talk to yourself as though you were talking to a friend, asking yourself what you could say in place of the negative thought.

Negative thoughts often come so automatically that we are unaware of them. We start to feel anxious, sad or depressed, but we do not notice the thoughts that are causing us to feel that way. In order to counter these thoughts and feel better, we first need to "catch ourselves in the act" of negative self talk.

Examine your self talk. Test the validity of your perceptions by asking yourself questions, such as:

What evidence backs up this thought?

Am I jumping to negative conclusions?

Are there any other ways that I could look at this situation?

What is the worst thing that could happen?

How likely is it?

What is the best that can happen?

What is most likely to happen?

Is thinking this way helping me to feel good or to achieve my goals?

 

Negative self-talk:

Are you experiencing any of these destructive kinds of thinking?

Types of negative thinking:

Negative thoughts are usually distorted.  We have trouble seeing things as they really are, often exaggerating our thoughts.

The following is a list of ways our thinking can be distorted:

1. Filtering:  You see and hear only the things you have selected.  Your attention is awakened only by particular kinds of information loss, rejection, unfairness, and so on.  You have blind spots that obscure evidence of your worth.  It’s as though you only let in the information that matches the way you feel about yourself.

2. Polarizing:  This is often referred to as “black and white’ thinking.  This can be particularly damaging to self-esteem, since you will see yourself as worthless if you aren’t absolutely perfect.  Watch for self-talk that sounds like “If I mess this up, I’m a hopeless failure.”

3. Overgeneralization:  This is a common distortion that plagues a lot of us.  It has to do with taking one isolated fact or event and making a general rule out of it.  For example, one date with an ice skater does not go well, so you decide that all ice skaters will find you boring.  When you hear these words in your self-talk, listen up!  These are clues to overgeneralization: never, always, all, every, none, everyone, nobody, etc.

4. Mind Reading:  This is when your self-talk assumes that everyone else is exactly like you.  Mind reading is fatal to self-esteem, because you are especially liable to think that everyone agrees with your negative opinions of yourself.  When you mind read, you think your perception is right and you act as if it is right, never stopping to check out what other people’s reality is.  Say you have a friend who frowns a lot.  You leap to conclusions without any real evidence that they are mad at you.

5. Self-blame:  You blame yourself for everything, whether it’s your fault or not.  You feel responsible for things that are out of your control.

6. Personalization:  This is the “it’s all about me” self-talk.  The way this shows up in negative self-talk and damages your self-esteem is that any time there is mention of a problem, you automatically assume that they are talking about you.   You negatively compare yourself to others.

7. Control Fallacies:  Control fallacies either put you in control of the whole universe, or put everyone but you in charge.  You struggle to control every aspect of every situation.  You hold yourself responsible for everything that goes wrong.  You either feel that you have total responsibility for everything, or feel that you have no control and are a helpless victim always waiting for someone else to fix things.

8. Shoulds: You have a list of ironclad rules about how you and other people should act. People who break the rules anger you and you feel guilty if you violate the rules.

9. Fallacy of Change: You expect that other people will change to suit you if you just pressure them enough.  You need to change people because your hopes for happiness seem to depend entirely on them.

10. Global Labeling: You generalize one or two qualities into a global judgment.  If you catch yourself fixing labels on everything that once and for all defines them in a negative light, watch yourself. You may be labeling things as a way to avoid dealing with them in a dynamic way.  Here are some clues: My house is a pigsty, I’m a poor money manager, my boss is a grouch, my roommate is a slob, I’m awful at math, etc.

Positive Self-Talk:

Write down a positive and nurturing statement that counteracts the negative self-talk. For example, change:

"I'll never get this done" to "I've been on tight deadlines before and I usually manage to get the job done."

"I'll never survive this." to "I have come through worse than this"

"I can't sleep thinking about this." to "This isn't worth worrying about - I'm going to let it go"

"I can't do this." to "This is an opportunity to learn something new."

Positive self-talk can be motivating, build self confidence, and keep you focused on accomplishing goals. It coaches you to succeed despite the obstacles you face. If you're thinking: "I don't have the energy to exercise", replace the negative thought with a positive and encouraging one: "I can start slowly by going for a short walk."

Practice thinking positive thoughts every day:

I will lose weight because I am learning to eat more nutritiously.

I am a kind person.

I have had successes in my career and I will have more successes in my career.      

I deserve to pursue happiness.

This is an opportunity to learn and grow.

I try to surround myself with supportive, positive people.

I can accomplish this goal by taking it one step at a time.

Record your observations in a notebook and refer to it when you find yourself experiencing negative self talk.

Learn to turn your negative self-talk to positive self-talk and watch your mood improve.

Sometimes it is easier to recognize negative thought patterns with a little help from a trusted friend or counselor.   Working on changing thought patterns is part of a type of therapy called cognitive therapy.

Taken from:
http://recoveryhope4all.com/negativethinker.html

 

Original source from:

University of California, Berkeley (http://www.uhs.berkley.edu/facstaff/care/negativethinking.shtml)

Develop the Habit of Healthy Self -Talk! (http://healthyhabits.com/selfTalk.asp)

Taking Charge! A Guide for Teenagers: Practical Ways to Overcome Stress, Hassles and Upsetting Emotions. By: Dr Sarah Edelman and Louise       Rémond

http://www.dbsalliance.org/site/PageServer?pagename=empower_negativethinkingWS&printer_friendly=1

Conduct Disorder

Conduct disorder (CD) is a group of behavioural problems where a child is aggressive, antisocial and defiant to a much greater degree than expected for your child’s age. Characteristics of conduct disorder include:

• fighting and physical cruelty
• destructiveness
• lying and stealing
• truancy (including running away from home).

To get a diagnosis of conduct disorder, your child must have shown at least three of these characteristics over the past year, with at least one of the characteristics shown in the last six months.

How is conduct disorder classified?

There are two types of conduct disorder:

• early onset where the child shows at least one characteristic before the age of 10 (this is often associated with ADHD)
• adolescent-onset type where the child doesn’t show any of the characteristics before the age of 10. This is the most common type. It is not specific to ADHD, but may occur with ADHD.

The severity depends on how many problems the child has and his effect on others.

• Mild: has just enough conduct problems to make the diagnosis, causes only minor harm to others.
• Moderate: several conduct problems, causes moderate harm to others.
• Severe: many conduct problems, causes considerable harm to others.

What are the symptoms of conduct disorder?

Symptoms are grouped into four areas.

1. Aggression to people and animals

• Often bullies, threatens or intimidates others.
• Often initiates physical fights.
• Has used a weapon that could cause serious physical harm to others (eg a bat, brick, broken bottle, knife or gun).
• Is physically cruel to people or animals.
• Steals from a victim while confronting them (eg assault, mugging, purse-snatching).
• Forces someone into sexual activity.

2. Destruction of property

• Deliberately engages in fire-setting with the intention to cause damage.
• Deliberately destroys someone else’s property (other than by arson).

3. Deceitfulness, lying or stealing

• Has broken into someone else’s building, house, or car.
• Lies to obtain goods or favours or to avoid obligations.
• Steals items without confronting a victim (eg shoplifting without breaking and entering, forgery).

4. Serious violations of rules

• Often stays out at night despite parental objections before the age of 13.
• Runs away from home – at least twice overnight or once for a longer period.
• Often truant from school before the age of 13.

How does it cause problems?

• Socially: affected children tend to overreact to situations and have outbursts of temper or defiance. This means he'll have few friends and will be socially awkward. As adults, he may have relationship and marital problems.
• At work and school: his behaviour is likely to break rules. This means he may be excluded from school, if he attends in the first place, and it could affect exams. At work such behaviour can lead to dismissal.
• Legally: stealing, assault and destroying properly can land your child in court.

Conduct disorder can make it hard for children to trust adults, which in turn makes it harder for them to go along with treatments such as behaviour therapy and psychotherapy.

Depression - Myths and Facts

 Taken from  Abhishek Shah
http://www.slideshare.net/abhishekshah/depression-myths-and-facts

How to Identify Symptoms of Mental Illness in a Friend

Taken from:

Howcast 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-JjZYLl1Ils&feature=related

Sleep Disorder

A sleep disorder is a physical and psychological condition or disturbance of sleep and wakefulness caused by abnormalities that occur during sleep or by abnormalities of specific sleep mechanisms. Although the sleep disorder exists during sleep, recognizable symptoms manifest themselves during the day. Accurate diagnosis requires a polysomnogram, widely known as a "sleep test."

Sleep Apnea

Loud, constant snoring can indicate a potentially life-threatening disorder called sleep apnea. A person with sleep apnea stops breathing repeatedly while sleeping, anywhere from 10 seconds to 3 minutes.

Insomnia

Insomnia is not defined by the number of hours of sleep a person gets or how long it takes to fall asleep. Individuals vary normally in their need for, and their satisfaction with, sleep. Insomnia may cause problems during the day, such as tiredness, a lack of energy, difficulty concentrating, and irritability.

Narcolepsy

The main characteristic of narcolepsy is excessive and overwhelming daytime sleepiness, even after adequate nighttime sleep. A person with narcolepsy is likely to become drowsy or to fall asleep, often at inappropriate times and places.

 RLS / PLMD

Restless Legs Syndrome (RLS) is a neurological disorder in which patients experience irrepressible sensations in the legs or arms while sitting or lying still. Terms used to describe RLS may include creepy, crawly, pulling, tingling, itching, or gnawing.

 Idiopathic Hypersomnia

Hypersomnia refers to either excessive sleepiness during the day or extended, overly long periods of nighttime sleep. Other words that are synonymous with hypersomnia are excessive daytime sleepiness (EDS), excessive sleepiness, or somnolence.

Parasomnias

Parasomnia is a broad term used to describe various uncommon disruptive sleep-related disorders. They are intense, infrequent physical acts that occur during sleep. Some common parasomnias include sleepwalking, sleep talking, sleep terrors, nightmares, and teethgrinding.
Fibromyalgia

Fibromyalgia is a chronic pain illness characterized by widespread musculoskeletal aches, pain and stiffness, soft tissue tenderness, general fatigue and sleep disturbances. Fibromyalgia patients experience a range of symptoms of varying intensities that wax and wane over time.

 Circadian Rhythm Disorder

The human body is set to a 24-hour clock, known by scientists as circadian rhythms. Circadian rhythms influence hormones that play a role in sleep and wakefulness, metabolic rate, and body temperature.

Taken From: Talk about Sleep at :
http://www.talkaboutsleep.com/sleep-disorders/index.htm