Conference calls for increased mental health awareness

AMMAN — Approximately 2.5 million people in Jordan currently suffer, or will suffer, from a mental health disorder, according to the 6th International Conference of the Jordanian Association of Psychiatrists.

The 6th International Conference of the Jordanian Association of Psychiatrists, under the title “The Future of Psychiatry and Mental Health in the Region”, kicked off in Amman on Thursday.

The two-day conference highlighted topics such as the pandemic’s effect on mental health, fighting the stigma surrounding mental illnesses, and modern management of treatment-resistant depression.

According to association president, Nayel Al Adwan, global studies indicate that 1 per cent of people suffer or will suffer from a mental disorder within their lifetimes. Therefore, approximately 2.5 million people in Jordan are statistically likely to be affected, Adwan noted.

However, 75 per cent of psychiatric patients in developing countries do not receive treatment due to difficulties in accessing services, the stigma, and many more reasons, he added.

“Jordan is one of the leading countries in the region in the field of mental health, but the available resources are still insufficient and unfairly distributed,” Adwan said.

He also highlighted the psychological pressure that the pandemic placed on individuals and society, which still persists today.  

Adwan also stressed the need for civil society organisations to increase access to specialised mental health services.

Scientific Committee Chairman Nasser Shuriquie said that the conference aims to improve upon and provide high quality services to psychiatric patients.

“Psychiatry is not limited to prescribing medicines; it has developed greatly in terms of treatment to work on making the patient an effective part of society,” he said.

President of the Jordanian Medical Association Ziad Zu’bi highlighted the relationship between physical and mental illness, noting that physical pain affects the mental state, the combination of which has wider implications. 

Walid Sarhan, a senior psychiatry consultant, said that the stigma of mental illness is a long lasting issue which needs to be combated through efforts to eliminate the misinformation behind it.

Sarhan said that the shame placed upon mental health patients leads to self-blame, and therefore makes afflicted people afraid to seek help, which in turn leads to isolation, social exclusion and discrimination.

The stigma around mental illnesses is the main reason behind the downward spiral of patients, he continued.

“Ignorance leads to the stigma around mental illnesses. Therefore, we need mental health education programmes to raise awareness, as well as an integration of psychological care and medical care,” Sarhan added.