DEPRESSION, ANXIETY CASES ON THE RISE

Depression and anxiety have been found to be the two major psychological disorders that are on the rise in the region, according to experts.

Oman has seen a 15-per cent rise in the number of depressionrelated cases and 14 per cent jump in anxiety-related cases every year, said Dr Amira al Raaidan, Head of Mental Health Department at the Noncommunicable Disease Department, Ministry of Health (MOH).

Speaking to the Observer on the sidelines of a workshop at the Fifth Edition of Stanford-binet Scale of Intelligence (SBIS 5) on Monday, she said the main reasons for the increase are chronic diseases, bad parenting, work pressure, unhealthy work environment, domestic violence, and the like.

“Although reasons are manifold, solutions are not very far. Spending quality time with family, treating children with love and respect, encouraging their self-esteem and instilling values in them and staying away from alcohol and tobacco are the first steps to checking depression and anxiety,” Dr Amira said. “A healthy work environment is crucial for strong mental health,” she said.

The workshop, organised by the Directorate-general of Primary Health Care represented by the Department of Mental Health and the Department of Disability, was attended by Dr Ahmed Mohammed al Qasimi, Director-general of Planning and Studies, along with psychiatrist trainers from the National Guard Hospital in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

Dr Sami al Arjan (Consultant Clinical Psychology), and Mohammad al Namla (Specialist Psychology) imparted training to more than 20 Omani psychiatrists.

The Stanford-binet Intelligence Scale is one of the most widely used and widely used intelligence tests.

The Stanford-binet Intelligence Scale is a cognitive ability and intelligence test used to diagnose developmental or intellectual deficiencies in young children.

The test measures five weighted factors and consists of both verbal and non-verbal subtests. These factors are: knowledge, quantitative reasoning, visual-spatial processing, working memory and fluid reasoning.

“The importance of this course lies mainly in the formation of an Omani national team trained to perform tests in a professional manner, allowing for proper diagnosis at the lowest possible cost,” Dr Amira added.