Schizophrenia in focus

Schizophrenia will take centre stage during this year’s Mental Health Month. 

Today at a church service held at the Psychiatric Hospital, Black Rock to launch the month of activities, Deputy Chairman of the National Mental Health Commission Dr Ermine Belle called for mental health issues to be on par with physical health issues.

She said individuals living with schizophrenia needed to be treated like those suffering any other illness as it was the consequence of a chemical imbalance, just like other illnesses.

Belle said no longer should a schizophrenia diagnosis mean degeneration into despair because it was treatable. 

She stressed that families cannot reject the individual as has been the custom because even though medication can help, it cannot substitute for the family support that is needed for a full or meaningful recovery.

The month of activities is being held by the National Mental Health Commission in conjunction with the Psychiatric Hospital. 

The theme, as set by the World Federation for Mental Health, is Living with Schizophrenia. (LK)