World Mental Health Day: Living with Schizophrenia
All over the world, Mental Health Day is observed every 10th of October. This is an annual celebration of education, awareness and advocacy of mental health.
Mental health refers to the state of well-being of a person having the ability to cope up with the normal stresses of life, able to produce work that is helpful and contributing to the place or community she or he lives in. Mental health does not only means the absence of mental disorders. Everyone has a role to play in his or her own mental health. Mental health is about taking care of your own.
This year's theme is 'Living with Schizophrenia”. What is Schizophrenia? Schizophrenia is a severe brain disorder in which a person interprets a reality abnormally. This is why history records show that those who have suffered from the illness in earlier years were thought to be possessed by demons or spirits thus being feared and exiled from the community. Schizophrenia often includes hallucinations and delusions, which results to reflect distortions in the perception and interpretation of reality. A schizophrenic acts in an extremely paranoid manner for others, but for them, it is only a reaction to their belief that someone out there is to do harm to them.
Often, schizophrenia starts in late adolescence or in early adulthood. But it can also appear at any time in life of a person. With todays technology, schizophrenia can be treated. Once completely treated, schizophrenic can lead a productive to life and contribute to the community. With these, they can be wlcomed back to the society.
The celebration also aims to get people talk about mental illnesses and its treatment and preventions that are available for everyone.
Published at: 10/10/2014
