UMMC launches CDs on mental illnesses

NST: KUALA LUMPUR: Hospital statistics show that 21,000 people were treated for mental illnesses by the University Malaya Medical Centre last year, mostly for depression.
Dr Sharmila Kanagasundram, a lecturer and psychiatrist at UMMC, says the number of patients seeking treatment for mental illnesses is increasing by 15 to 30 per cent every year.
UMMC Head of Department of Psychological Medicine Prof Dr Hussain Habil estimates that, "up to 21 per cent of the population suffers some form of mental illness".
He says 17 per cent of these suffer from schizophrenia, bipolar affective disorder, depression and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).
These shocking figures were the catalyst for the launching of a series of Family Audio CDs by UMMC and the Committee of Affective Disorders and Schizophrenia Training (CAST) to educate patients and their family members on the four most common mental illnesses.
"The CDs will help lay persons gain a better understanding of the common mental illnesses," Dr Sharmila, the project co-ordinator, said.
"They are recorded in simple language in Malay and English with no technical terms."
There are four sets of CDs — on schizophrenia, bipolar affective disorder, depression and ADHD — available for RM10 each at UMMC’s psychiatric ward, outpatient clinic and at the Universiti Malaya bookstore.
UMMC and CAST will be working with several pharmaceutical companies to produce the next series of CDs on functionality in schizophrenia anxiety disorder, sleep disorder and dementia.