KARACHI: Depression is the most common mental disorder in Pakistan as around 34 per cent population of the country are suffering from this disease.
Good mental health, therefore, is the foundation for an individual’s and a community’s effective functioning and well-being.
Nearly 450 million people suffer from mental and behavioral disorders worldwide.
Prof. Dr.Muhammad Iqbal Afridi, Head of Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Center, expressed these views while speaking at the 23rd Public Awareness Seminar on “Promotion of Mental Health and Prevention of Psychological
Disorders”, held at LEJ National Science Information Centre-International Center for Chemical and Biological Sciences- University of Karachi here on Wednesday.
According to a statement the seminar was jointly organised by Dr. Panjwani Center for Molecular Medicine and Drug Research (PCMD),UoK and Virtual Education Project Pakistan (VEPP).
Talking about mental health, Dr. Afridi said that person who is mentally healthy has a state of well being in which every individual realizes his or her own potential, can cope with the normal stresses of life, can work productively and fruitfully, and is able to make a contribution to his or her community.
He said that mental health included depression; bipolar disorder; schizophrenia; epilepsy; alcohol and drug use disorders; Alzheimer’s and other dementia; post-traumatic stress disorder; obsessive compulsive disorder; panic disorder; and primary insomnia.
He said that mental disorders could be treated.
He added,”Citizens should keep up a balance in their life. Discipline of life requires proper sleep, work, pray, exercise, diet, good social
relationship, expression of your feelings, spirit to fight against mental stress, and consultation with a doctor in case of any health complain.”
According to World Health Organization (WHO), “health is a state of complete physical, mental, and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity and Health promotion is the
process of enabling people to increase control over their health and its determinants, and thereby improve their health,” he said.
“Health promotion is the process of enabling people to increase control over, and to improve, their health.
It moves beyond a focus on individual behavior towards a wide range of social and environmental interventions.
The purpose of health promotion is to positively influence the health behavior of individuals and communities as well as the living and working conditions that influence their health”, he added. APP
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