UP TO 11 PER CENT OF TEENAGERS IN KELANTAN HAVING MENTAL PROBLEMS - HUSM PSYCHIATRIST

KOTA BAHARU (Malaysia), Aug 9 (Bernama) -- Up to 11 per cent of teenagers in
Kelantan, especially students, are having mental problems and receiving
treatment at Universiti Sains Malaysia Hospital (HUSM), Kubang Kerian here.

Head of HUSM Psychiatric Department Associate Professor Dr Mohd Jamil Yaacob
said these teenagers were among 700 people, including repeat patients, who were
receiving treatment at HUSM psychiatric clinic monthly.

"This is a new phenomenon in the community which occurred due to family and
study-related stress," he told Bernama in an interview here Tuesday.

Also present was HUSM director Dr Zaidun Kamari.

Dr Mohd Jamil said the increase in the number of students receiving
treatment for their mental problems was due to the increase in public awareness
on the roles played and assistance offered by the clinic.

"Prior to this, parents are hesitant to come to the psychiatric clinic as
they find it hard to deal with the negative perception from the public who may
think that they are coming to the clinic as mental patients," he said.

In order to change such a negative perception, Dr Mohd Jamil said HUSM
Psychiatric Department had taken the initiative to name the clinic as Counseling
and Teenage Clinic since 2002.

Besides, he said the department's staff also went to the ground to see and
offer counseling service and therapy to the patients at school.

Meanwhile, Dr Zaidun said the public's level of acceptance towards mental
treatment in hospital was now higher than before because most mental patients
were categorised as Persons with Disabilities and would receive various aid from
the government, especially through the Social Welfare Department.