It is high time we prioritise mental disorders too

SUICIDES have become a daily occurence and a tragedy for many families in Malaysia. Horrific scenes of suicide-cum-murder of young children by a depressed parent or parents have been reported.

However, these tragic occurences stay in the minds of Malaysians for just a few days at most, before another horrific suicide takes its place.

Contrary to the historical demographic patterns of suicide, an increasing number of younger and working-age Malaysians of both sexes are now commiting suicide.

Psychiatrists and mental healthcare workers and other like-minded NGOs try their utmost to treat the depressed and distressed who seek their assistance, but the fact of the matter is that sufferers seeking assistance are maybe just the tip of the iceberg of depressed people in the country.

Some of those suffering need urgent counselling, psychotherapy or treatment with antidepressant medications and other modalities, such as electroconvulsive therapy, but may not want to come forward. Instead, they keep their emotions, suicidal thoughts and plans to themselves.

Treatment at private hospitals, medical centres and private psychiatric clinics are generally available, but the absence of medical insurance coverage for psychiatric disorders makes it financially harder for the depressed to seek early professional treatment.

Insurance companies that provide medical insurance should extend their coverage to psychiatric disorders too.

Morbidity and mortality can originate from physical or mental conditions, and there should not be discrimination towards those suffering psychiatric disorders as has been the situation to this day.

As Malaysia moves forward to be a progressive nation that values life, I hope the government, Health Ministry and other relevant authorities, such as Bank Negara, will look into this dilemma, as well as the discrimination towards the psychiatrically unwell.