Daily Times

KARACHI: Chairman, Psychiatry Department, Jinnah Post Graduate and Medical Center (JPMC) Prof Dr. Iqbal Afridi said that international health organizations have expressed their serious concerns over Pakistan Supreme Court for not accepting schizophrenia as a mental illness.

He was addressing at the panel discussion of the program entitled ” Dispelling the Stigma – Mental Illness and Cancer” organized by Department of Psychology KU at Arts Auditorium KU.

“We request Supreme Court to take notice of this serious issue, take expert opinion over it and declare schizophrenia as a mental illness otherwise it will be cause of a great national disgrace in the world. There are 200,000 patients of schizophrenia in Pakistan who will be highly insecure after this Supreme Court’s ruling.”

“We all are vulnerable of stress and mental illness, if stress is not released through words or tears, it may cause damages to human body part, mental patients are also a vital part of our society, they are not violent but affected from violence” said Dr. Afridi

He added we are an organ oriented society; we are reluctant to treat breast cancer patient ladies because it’s a sexual organ. This is now prevailing in males too. Mental illness must be taken normally and mental patients must not be ridiculed in any form whatsoever.

Former Chairperson Dept. of Psychology KU Professor Dr. Anila Amber Malik said that we all experience a moment of stress in our life atleast once, we neeed to aware our students about mental stress and breast awareness to save precious lives. 14 million Pakistanis suffer from mental illness, 2 million in Karachi alone. Pakistan has the largest number of breast cancer patients in Asia and the number is increasing alarmingly.

Renowned actress and social activist Sania Saeed criticized on the role of media and added that media’s role is not positive in highlighting these sorts of societal issues and dispelling the stigmas.

“Reading culture is lacking and students don’t read books except their textbooks”, Sania Saeed added.

Chairperson Dept. of Psychology Prof. Dr. Farah Iqbal welcomed all the guests and panelists. She added that there are various forms of mental illness that includes anxiety, depression, hopelessness, helplessness etc., it weakens the body and minds of people. We need to aggressively tackle these stigmas attached to mental illness and breast cancer. Department of psychology will organize series of awareness seminars in this regard.

Associate Professor Rubina Feroz said that social support plays a vital role in dealing with the major diseases notably breast cancer and mental illness. Breast Cancer is not a contagious disease.

Clinical Psychologist Dr Asha Bedar said that stress doesn’t lead to breast cancer directly, but it may be an indirect cause. Women performing night duties are more vulnerable to breast cancer. Our society is highly prejudiced with women suffering from breast cancer.

Chairman Psychiatry Dept. Dow University Prof. Dr. Raza-ur- Rehman revealed that the death rate increases 600 percent if the cancer patient develops depression during the illness. Program Co coordinator and Faculty Member Dept. of Psychology KU Ms. Zahra Ali moderated the panel discussion.