mental illness

COVID-19 pandemic soon apparently proved to be havoc and a great stressor. During such a stressful time, mental health is in threat. Here, we intend to review the presenting problems/ symptoms as shared in psychiatry helpline of a Teaching Hospital in eastern Nepal during the second week of lockdown and to reflect on to emotional, including mood problems. It is an institute based period observation noted for all psychiatry helpline calls during 1 week of lockdown days of COVID-19. Their concerns and problems were listened and symptoms clarified by a consultant psychiatrist to help them as far as possible through the telephonic conversation. Maintaining the confidentiality, basic information were noted down in a semi-structured proforma to record certain socio-demographic and clinical information (including mood and other emotional symptoms). We received 102 helpline calls of 60 clients for psychiatry in 1 week, from 14 districts. More patients being discussed were males (35/60), average age being 34.15 (15 - 70) years. More patients were regular follow-up cases with some new issues (24/60) and 18/60 each were new clients and regular follow-up cases. Majority had exacerbated symptoms in the wake of COVID-19 as: emotional (47/60; mood 24/60, anxiety/worry 23/60) symptoms along with disturbed sleep (32/60); treatment/service issues (31/60) and changed routines. Most common mental problems were Bipolar affective disorder, Psychosis, Anxiety and Depression and advices included Antipsychotics, Benzodiazepines, Antidepressants, along with some Psycho-education. Most common concerns were about OPD service, worsening symptoms and local unavailability of medicines. Many had mood and emotional symptoms in this stressful time, both simple amenable to telephonic advices and severe requiring to be called to emergency service.

Background: Anxiety and depression are under reported, underdiagnosed mental illness in health worker in Nepal especially during COVID pandemic. The study was carried out as an observational study on nurses in Nepal. In this study we attempted to assess the incidence and impact of depression and anxiety in nurses who are working upfront in different hospitals during this crisis. Objective: The purpose of the study is to assess the prevalence of anxiety and depression among nurses in Nepal during COVID pandemic who are working in various hospitals. Method: A cross-sectional non-probability purposive sampling with observational analysis was carried out and the sample was collected from nurses working in different hospitals. Prevalence of anxiety and depression was assessed using a structured and validated questionnaire. Anxiety was assessed with the Hamilton Anxiety Scale (HAM-A), General Anxiety Disorder Questionnaires (GAD) with a cut-off score for various levels of anxiety while Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HAM-D) was used to assess depression. Result: The analysis of these different scales revealed that disabling anxiety prevailed at highest (43.6%) in nursing staff according to HAM-A scale. Moderate anxiety also seemed to be higher (> 20%) in GAD questionnaire. Conclusion: This is the first study carried out in Nepal that investigates the mental health of nurses who are working in the frontline in this COVID pandemic situation. The study revealed that our nurses who have given their life in the line are suffering from serious mental health problems. 

Mental illness is associated with a significant burden of morbidity and disability. Lifetime prevalence rates for any kind of psychological disorder are higher than previously thought, are increasing in recent cohorts and affect nearly half of the population. Overall rates of psychiatric disorder are almost identical for men and women but striking gender differences are found in the patterns of mental illness. Gender is a critical determinant of mental health and mental illness. Gender differences occur particularly in the rates of common mental disorders - depression, anxiety and somatic complaints. These disorders, in which women predominate, affect approximately 1 in 3 people in the community and constitute a serious public health problem [1].

Background: Worldwide, studies show negative attitudes among medical students toward psychiatry and mental illness. The knowledge of the attitude and awareness of the undergraduate medical students toward mental health and psychiatric disorders are most important as they are going to be involved in the care of these patients either directly or indirectly during the years of their careers.Aim: To explore, the knowledge, attitude, and behavior of undergraduate medical students towards mentally ill Patients before their planned psychiatry rotation in the fourth year of undergraduate medical study, faculty of medicine, Suez Canal University, Ismailia, Egypt.Objectives: To assess mental health-related knowledge, attitudes and intended behavior of undergraduate medical students towards mentally ill patients.Subjects and methods: A descriptive, cross-sectional study, conducted on 120 fourth-year undergraduate medical students affiliated with the faculty of medicine-Suez Canal University. A comprehensive sample was used to include all of the students in the fourth year of undergraduate medical study, and the study group participants completed a semi-structured questionnaire including four parts to assess their knowledge, attitudes, and behavioral responses towards individuals with mental illnesses. The data of the study was collected in September-October 2019.Results: Based on the participants’ scores, the cut-off points estimated to dichotomize the responses as poor or good, for mental health-related knowledge, belief towards mental illness and intended behavior were, 17, 55 and 8.5 respectively. This study showed that the study participants had marginally poor mental health-related knowledge with a median score of 17, poor beliefs about mental illness with a median score of 49.5 and poor intended behavior towards the mentally ill with a median score of 7. Conclusion: In this study, undergraduate medical students showed marginally poor mental health-related knowledge, poor stigmatizing beliefs, and behavior towards mentally ill patients. More controlled studies are needed to eliminate the inherent response biases in survey studies and to measure the outcomes of anti-stigma educational and curricular interventions. 

Mental illness is an international health crisis that puts the lives of over three hundred million people (Four percent of the world’s population) at risk. The study was conducted at the Erigavo Mental Hospital in Somaliland and its main focus was the bond between substance abuse and mental illness. The research was to check the influence of the different drugs, screen mental health problems, and draw a link between drugs and mental illness. The sources of the quantitative data were a total of 27 employees and managers. This study is cross-sectional. We employed the measure of the magnitude and direction of a linear relationship between two variables with the Pearson correlation coefficient. The outcomes that were acquired show that there was use and particularly abuse of khat, substance smoking, and alcohol consumption, the score means of which were quite high. The investigation results, however, imply that through drug use and other forms of alcohol drug abuse, one of them counter various mental health problems. Furthermore, the addicted people demonstrated the tendency to use force in their attempt to solve the conflicts and to experience the highest degree of tension, with the mean score of the former giving 4.11 while the standard deviation of the latter giving 1.086, thus this shows the mental impact of drug use on the inhabitants of Erigavo. The main result of the study was the strong, positive relationship between drug addiction and mental illness, which became evident through an r - value of 0.509 and a p - value of 0.559. It means that those people who are involved in drug misuse are the ones who are likely to have mental health disorders. Based on the findings of the study, we suggest a combination of measures to recover drug addiction and mental illness. This consists in strengthening prevention. The study that lays the groundwork for suggestions, involves an approach that is holistic in nature. The main ideas of preventing drug usage, psychological health care, enhancing mental health services, and working towards certified professionals are key integrated activities of the whole concept. The hospital, thus, will be in a better position to eliminate the two major disease components namely; drug abuse and mental ailment. Thus, in this way, with the help of the new treatment approaches, a hospital provides and their patients who are quite likely to recover and lead healthy.

Background: Undergraduate nursing students, like the general population, are not devoid of negative attitudes relating to mental health. As future manpower, undergraduate nursing students need to be trained in a manner that inspires confidence in the way they perceive and handle mentally ill persons.Aim: This study aimed to investigate undergraduate students' perceptions and attitudes toward mental health practices.Methods: The study adopted a cross-sectional descriptive design approach. A self-reported questionnaire was prepared and sent to 140 undergraduate nursing students studying at King Saud University. A total of 128 students took part in the study by filling out self-reported questionnaires.Results: Undergraduate nursing students have a positive perception and attitude (social relationships) towards people living with mentally ill persons in three of the five Attitudes towards Mental Illness (AMI) categories investigated. AMI1 (18.93), AMI2 (9.55), AMI3 (16.88), AMI4 (8.34), AMI5 (9.82), Average AMI (62.98).Conclusion: Undergraduate nursing students hold unjustified views regarding people with mental illness, which leads to negative attitudes held throughout their studies and professional practice. As future manpower, it is important that psychiatric training is reformed to offer undergraduate nursing students comprehensive skills necessary for future practice.