By Melina Harris
AMID the worst healthcare catastrophe in modern history, we celebrate world Mental Health Month this May. Since the rapid acceleration of the novel coronavirus, COVID-19, health pandemic, we have been forced to confront many of the issues that have been festering beneath the surface of our societies, and, indeed, the entire global community.

Those who have not been directly infected by the virus are nonetheless impacted by the indirect consequences of various containment measures introduced to combat the spread of the virus. As such, we have all been spending more time at home among spouses, partners, children and other family members. The disruption to our ‘normal’ way of life is marked and many of us are perhaps feeling more stressed out and drained as a result of everything happening in the world currently.

It is now against this backdrop that we are being confronted with many of the social issues that affect us all, directly and indirectly. Chief amongst those social issues is mental health and wellbeing. According to the World Health Organisation, good mental health is defined as a state of wellbeing 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. Where individuals are unable to achieve this desired state of wellbeing, it is often because of an undiagnosed mental health condition.

Unfortunately, the statistics for mental health make for difficult reading. However, it also shows that mental illness affects many more people than you might have suspected. According to WHO, there are 450 million people globally, currently suffering from a mental illness, this according to a recent report. This means roughly 1 in 4 people will deal with a mental health issue or neurological disorder during their lifespan. Sadly, the WHO estimates that two thirds of individuals suffering from mental illness choose to avoid seeking help for their condition. This choice is based on a number of factors including stigma, lack of education and expensive healthcare costs. Further, the WHO estimates that approximately 40% of countries lack a mental health policy and 30% have no programme regarding mental health.

Even in the more developed nations with better healthcare facilities, there is still abundant evidence emerging that mental illnesses are on the rise. Approximately, 1 in 4 Americans living in the United States of America suffer from at least one mental illness and nearly 10 million adults live with a serious mental illness. Approximately 10.2 million adults have co-occurring mental health and addiction disorders.

Around 9.5% of US citizens over 18 years old encounters a depressive illness every year; other statistics put this figure closer to 25%, according to the National Council for Behavioral Health. Similarly, in the UK, 1 in 5 teenagers suffers from a mental illness. By the time teenagers reach university, approximately 1 in 3 students would have dealt with a serious psychological issue. More than 37,500 UK students from a total of 140 universities suffer from a mental illness, this according to data gathered in the University Student Mental Health Survey 2018. Research from the National Council for Behavioral Health indicates that one-half of all chronic mental illness begins by the age of 14 and three-quarters by the age of 24.

In Guyana, we need more statistics and research on the issue of mental illness. However, statistics from the Ministry of Public Health estimate that there are approximately 150,000 people in Guyana who have some form of mental illness. And with young people making up 70% of the total population, we can surmise that this group would be heavily affected by this statistic. We are also painfully aware of the high suicide rate in Guyana. Unfortunately, this country tallies approximately 30 suicides per 100,000 deaths, a number only surpassed by Lithuania and Russia. About 70% of these suicides occur in rural areas. Unfortunately, suicide is particularly high among our East Indian brothers and sisters with this group of people accounting for 80% of recorded suicides between 2010 and 2013.

Since the introduction of the National Suicide Prevention Plan in 2015, Guyana’s suicide rate has dropped from 44.2% to 30% by 2019, a staggering and notable decline. The National Suicide Prevention Plan also aims to increase the number of trained mental healthcare workers, and, up to 2019, we had approximately 120 medical doctors who have received training for depression and suicide prevention. They are now scattered across the country. Similarly, the number of psychologists and psychiatrists now stands at approximately 30 persons, a massive increase from the 7 we had in 2014.

There has also been an increase in the number of non-governmental organisations seeking to bridge the gap between what the public and private sectors have to offer those seeking help with a mental illness. The Guyana Foundation is one of those NGOs that have been making steady progress in supporting those with mental illnesses. Their Sunrise centres offer a variety of skills training courses, wellness programmes and counseling by trained professionals. The first centre was launched in June 2016 and opened to the public in October 2016 in Zorg-En-Vlygt, Essequibo Coast. The Foundation aims to set up sunrise centres in ParFaite Harmonie, Charity and other areas.

Although there have been improvements in the availability of mental health services in Guyana, there is still a severe shortage of trained mental health professionals and access to treatment facilities is limited. Furthermore, there is still much more work to be done in dispelling the negative stigma attached to mental health and mental illness. Poverty and lack of education also continue to hamper progress, and coupled with substance and alcohol abuse, contribute to risk factors negatively influencing good mental health.

However, the failure to recognise the warning signs and seek treatment generally leads to a worsening of symptoms and a considerably lower quality of life for those who are affected, according to the statistics. According to the National Council for Behavioral Health, 80% of people suffering from a schizophrenic disorder can reduce symptoms and the possibility of relapses with medical help, therapy and family assistance. Similarly, antidepressants, coupled with psychotherapy, can help 60% of people suffering from a depressive disorder to recover.