Mental checks a healthy sign

Mental checks a healthy sign

DENPASAR, Bali: A 10-fold increase of mentally disturbed
patients at the state-owned Bangli mental hospital was considered
a healthy sign by its director Robert Revenger.

It "demonstrates an increased awareness among people to
undergo mental check-ups ... before it is too late", he was
quoted by the Antara news agency as saying.

He said that even those with light mental disorders are now
willing to go to the hospital, whereas in the past, only those
with heavy disorders were brought there.

He said not all the mentally disturbed people were insane.

Most patients, he said, were "emotionally disturbed" due to
rapid developments and changes in social life.

Revenger said the 60-year-old hospital has also succeeded in
increasing its services, evident from the decline in the number
of days of treatment from an average of 63 to only 36 now.(pwn)