Thousands of Jakartans suffer from mental ilness

Thousands of Jakartans suffer from mental ilness

JAKARTA (JP): Between 9,000 and 27,000 of Jakarta's nine
million people suffer from a serious mental disorder, 10 percent
of whom need to undergo special treatment, said a health official
yesterday.

Dr. Karcipto who heads the Mental Health Division of the
Ministry of Health told a one-day seminar that rapid changes in
urban areas, and financial problems, are the main factors that
cause people to suffer from depression.

"People living in big cities who come from poor backgrounds
and who have little education are forced to adapt themselves to
the new environment. Those who can't stand the changes eventually
get stressed," he said.

The seminar, adopting the theme "Building a Harmonious
Family", was held to mark World Mental Health Day.

Mental health has nothing to do with insanity but is something
everyone needs to achieve a harmonious life, said Karcipto.

"Mental health is about the feelings of contentment and
happiness which allow people to face life's challenges. It opens
peoples minds to accept others as they are and not as what we
think they should be, and it helps people adopt a positive
attitude," said Mrs. Yogie SM, wife of the Home Minister, who
participated at the meeting.

Mental depression is prevalent not only among the poor or
people with marginal incomes, but also among the haves and among
youngsters from broken-homes, said Karcipto.

Mental depression, if untreated, can lead to "psycho-social
problems" that could increase the number of juvenile
delinquencies and cases of drug and alcohol addiction, he said.

As mental depression is the fifth most serious health issue in
the country, the government-run Agency for the Development of
People's Mental Health in Jakarta has mapped out a number of
programs to address mental health issues.

Since its establishment in 1986, the Agency has built several
consultation clinics for teenagers in different districts, and
mental health services have been opened in local government
clinics. Efforts have been made to improve the skills of
paramedics in treating their patients, and to help school
counselors cope with juvenile delinquencies.

The City administration plans to build a local hospital in the
future, with services for the mentally ill and for families
facing marriage or other social problems. (04)