10% MALAYSIAN POPULATION EXPECTED TO SUFFER FROM MENTAL ILLNESS TOWARD YEAR 2020

Approximately 10 % of the total population in Malaysia expected to suffer from mental illness by 2020. Deputy Director General of Health (Public Health ) Datuk Dr Lokman Hakim Sulaiman said the increase in the population 's age 50 and above by 2020 will have implications for the system of care and the provision of health services such as mental and physical health .
" The age of the 50's and above will be facing a decline in health due to chronic illness , feeling lonely due to marginalized from family and society , loss of interest due to loss of employment and financial problems due to the high cost of living , " he said.

Dr Lokman Hakim said the World Health Organization(WHO) predicts that depression is a mental illness from second place after the top of ischemic heart disease by 2020 .
He said the government , families and communities must play a role to ensure that mental health staff 50s and above guaranteed to provide positive support for the preparation of a person towards old age.
" In psychology , seniors 50 and over will experience emotional and personality changes , deterioration of the function of the mind, as well as changes in behavior.
" Change sustained attention should be given to help them maintain good mental health , " he said.
He said the Health Ministry will upgrade the treatment, care and rehabilitation of psychiatric patients through services in hospitals and health clinics in an effort to address the problem.

" As a preventive measure , there are four mental institutions and 48 government hospitals that provide psychiatric services and mental health .
" Now there are 252 psychiatrists across the country and 80 other officials clinical psychology 228 family physicians in health clinics to detect and provide treatment to patients identified as having disorders and mental illness , " he said.

Source: The Malaysian Insider, Bernama