Mental health - treat before too late - Mariam

PASIR PUTEH, Feb 22 (Bernama) -- Mental health issues must be immediately tackled before they get to a worrying stage, said chairman of the National Population and Family Development Board (LPPKN) Datuk Mariam Mas Yacob.

 She said 4.2 million people in the country suffered from it, and by 2020, it would be the second most common disease after heart diseases.

She added that from 2014 until 2016, there were 1,234 cases of suicide and 171,252 divorce cases resulting from mental health problems.

“Depression is believed to be the main contributor to mental health problems among patients, leading them to hurting themselves and committing suicide,” she said when met after launching the LPPKN@NGO Mind Therapy Workshop here today.

Also present were Kelantan LPPKN director Lim Lee Peng and eighty people from Kampung Permatang Sungkai who participated in the workshop.

Mariam berkata the LPPKN  provided psychological and counselling services as well as community activities which included therapy to manage stress, emotions and anger.

She said LPPKN counsellors were prepared to meet individuals or families facing these problems.

“Last year, there were 87 cases of counselling mental health which were referred to the Kelantan LPPKN,” she said.

Mariam said she hoped non-governmental organisations cooperated with the LPPKN in community programmes.

“If ignored, these cases can affect the process of national development,” she said.

-- BERNAMA