JEDDAH, 12 October 2003 — Under the slogan “Emotional and Behavioral Disorders of Children and Teenagers,” the Jeddah Psychiatric Hospital yesterday launched the International Day of Mental Health 2003 at Jeddah Mall.
The weeklong campaign to raise awareness of psychological disorders — including severe illnesses such as schizophrenia and bipolar disorder as well as depression and anxiety — follows last year’s focus on violence and abuse and their effect on the psychological and emotional health of children.
“There has been a 20 percent increase in psychological disorders in children, so we have to start treating them early by recognizing the causes and symptoms before they escalate. This is difficult in our society because even talking about psychological problems is a stigma,” said Samira Al-Ghamdi, director of the media and health awareness office at the Psychiatric Hospital and the organizer of the campaign.
The campaign includes seminars by psychiatric consultants at the Jeddah Mall, individual walk-in clinics, brochures, a video presentation on mental health programs, art competitions for children and gifts. The first issue of the hospital’s psychiatry magazine also became available yesterday, a special issue on the emotional and behavioral disorders of children and teenagers. The magazine will appear first quarterly and then monthly.
“The idea for the magazine came up a year ago because people were asking us about certain disorders and psychological problems. The magazine will make the information available to them and there will be a consultation and feedback page,” said Fatima Al-Refaie, supervisor of the magazine.
It features articles by psychiatry specialists on various issues including suicide, family violence and abuse of all its types.
“Sometimes the mother is not aware of the problems her child is going through at home or at school, or doesn’t understand the consequences of her treatment of the child’s emotional development, or maybe doesn’t recognize the symptoms of a mental disorder,” Al-Refaie told Arab News.
According to its director, Dr. Muhammad Shawoosh, the Psychiatric Hospital handles some 100 patients a day, most of them suffering from anxiety — which can include obsessive compulsive disorder, panic attacks and paranoia — and depression.
“There are three causes for psychological disorders — biological, social and environmental, and genetic,” said Dr. Muhammad Al-Hamid, consultant psychiatrist.
