Mysore/Mysuru: “Everybody is prone to mental illness at one time or the other in their lives and can come out of the condition. Mental illness should not be linked with superstitions. Nobody should hesitate to consult a Psychologist and get proper treatment,” advised Senior Civil Judge and District Legal Services Authority (DLSA) Member-Secretary B.G. Dinesh.

He was speaking after inaugurating  ‘World Schizophrenia Day-2023’ and awareness programme jointly organised by the District Administration, Zilla Panchayat, District Health and Family Welfare Department, District Mental Health Department and District Legal Services Authority in city recently.

“Bad habits like smoking, consumption of alcohol, ganja, opium and others, result in the deterioration of physical health and also lead to mental illness like Schizophrenia,” he added.

District Health Officer (DHO) Dr. K.H. Prasad, who presided, said “Schizophrenia Day is being celebrated under the theme ‘Celebration of Society’s Benevolence Power.’ Of late, there is enormous mental pressure on people because of the changes in lifestyle. We need to identify mental illness at the initial stage itself and get treatment. There was a time when it was dangerous and impossible to keep Schizophrenia patients at home. It was believed that such patients should be sent to mental hospital and kept there for a long time and the disease will trouble the patient till death.”

The situation has changed for the better during the last three decades. With simple yet effective medicines, now it is possible to keep them at home and with the cooperation of family members, it is possible to cure the disease early and ensure that the patient is not affected again, the DHO added.

“Studies also reveal that the patient can become independent and resume employment and lead a useful life. Schizophrenia patients can be treated as out-patients and be cured at Primary Health Centres (PHCs) and private clinics too,” said DHO Dr. Prasad.

District Mental Health Programme Officer Dr. Manjuprasad said that Schizophrenia patients suffer from disarray of thoughts, emotional imbalance, unnatural and peculiar feeling and non-uniformity in physical activities.

Normally, people in the age group of 15 to 25 years are subjected to repeated severe crises in their lives and people of both rural, urban areas and tribals, irrespective of their financial status are prone to suffer from Schizophrenia, he added.

Dr. Sudharani P. Naik, Consultant Psychologist for District Mental Health Programme, Mysuru,  District Information, Education and Communication (IEC) officials and officials and staff of District Health Programme were present on the occasion.