Zoom-Bangla Desk: People's indifference to mental health is not new in our country. Even mental illness has a lot of ignorance, misconceptions and wrong beliefs. Mental problems are also compared by some to crazy, eccentric or perverted mentality. As with mental health in general, a kind of 'stigma' also works within the person who is going through it.

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A 2018 study by the National Institute of Mental Health found that 18 percent of people in Bangladesh suffer from some form of mental illness. Doctors and psychiatrists say that only one percent of people are suffering from complex mental illness. Doctors and psychologists say that awareness about mental health is gradually increasing in Bangladesh and more people than before are turning to specialists for problems.

However, most people do not go to a psychiatrist because of the misconception that mental problems will be fixed immediately, and most people consult a psychiatrist when they experience physical symptoms of this problem. But what exactly are the problems of psychiatrists in Bangladesh?

Psychiatrist Mohit Kamal, National Institute of Mental Health Dr. Dr. Mekhla Sarkar and Savar Enam Medical College Hospital. Md Farooq Hossain has been spoken to. This report has been prepared based on their opinion.

Mohit
Kamal, Dr. Mekhla Sarkar and Dr. Md Farooq Hossain - All three said that most people resort to them for anxiety-related mental disorders, depression and air pollution related problems. In most cases, patients present with some physical symptoms. Most people are not aware of depression or anxiety as any mental problem or its cause.

Following are the top 10 mental health problems people go to doctors for in Bangladesh:

Depression or Depressive Disorder
Depression is considered an important mental health problem. As a result, if it is not given proper attention in the beginning, it can create serious problems. Psychiatrists say that suicidal tendencies develop in those suffering from depression. Although many understand depression as depression.

But doctors say that if you are depressed for a long period of time, such as for two weeks, or if you no longer enjoy doing activities that you used to enjoy, it should be considered as a sign of depression. Psychologist Dr. Mekhla Sarkar says depression is a natural reaction of the human mind. A person's mind may be depressed due to unfulfilled expectations or similar reasons.

The physical symptoms that occur in this disease are-

The patient may feel very weak physically.
Sleep problem is one of the symptoms of this disease. Not sleeping at night or not feeling the satisfaction of sleep.
Joint pain, headache can occur in different joints of the body.
Stomach problems may occur.
Burning hands and feet.
The patient feels restless.
Doctors say that when these physical symptoms increase, the patient turns to a psychiatrist.

Panic attacks are the most common symptom of anxiety disorder or panic disorder . Psychiatrists say that when a panic attack occurs, the symptoms may intensify within five to ten minutes. In most cases, after being taken to the emergency department of the hospital, the patient is found to be physically completely healthy.

The physical symptoms that occur in this disease are-

Sudden palpitations or severe pressure in the chest. Chest pain feels like a stroke or heart attack is about to happen.
The patient has shortness of breath. This is one of the symptoms of this disease. It will seem that the patient will die of suffocation.
Frightening thoughts, difficulty breathing.
Frequent falling asleep.
The patient has nightmares. In
Generalized Anxiety Disorder,
the patient is constantly worried about everything. The patient is afraid of every little thing. Tension is the patient's daily companion. Psychiatrists say that the patient always feels restless, the mood is irritable. Lack of attention to work and forgetfulness. In this disease, the patient will feel that he is forgetting everything, cannot remember as before.

The physical problems caused by this disease are:

The patient feels very weak and tired.
Chest will pound but not as intense as a panic attack.
Sometimes the patient has difficulty breathing.
Stomach feels pressure, food is not digested properly.
Constipation occurs when affected by this disease.
Psychiatrist Dr. Mekhla Sarkar said, when someone suffers from generalized anxiety disorder, his brain reacts somewhat.
'Neurochemicals affect the various systems of the body, such as our heart system, breathing process. Due to which various physical symptoms can occur.

Shuchibayu or Obsessive Compulsive Disorder
Shuchibayu is more or less known by all of us, but people are not aware of when it falls into the disease stage. Psychiatrists say that when a person wants to do any task multiple times, or unnecessarily, when he feels that the task is not finished and he wants to do the task again and again, this tendency is called Obsessive Compulsive Disorder. Such patients often do the same thing for hours. The thought that enters their mind once, they keep thinking again and again.

Psychiatrists say, the patient himself knows that this thought is futile, meaningless. However, he is forced to think this way. People who suffer from asthma usually delay making decisions. Such patients work slowly and are always tense. They are a little grumpy. Doctors say that the prevalence of asthma in girls is slightly higher than that of boys. Among the first 10 harmful mental diseases, this obsession or Chichivayu disease is at number four.

Such patients with personality disorder or personality disorder cause any incidents by self-injury. If there is a personality disorder, the person has a tendency to self-harm in various ways, including cutting off his hands, trying to commit suicide, suddenly taking sleeping pills. Dr. Mekhla Sarkar said, 'People with multiple personality disorders also have co-morbid depression and anxiety. But they have a basic diagnosis of personality disorder.'

People with phobic disorder
are afraid to go anywhere alone. Such patients find it difficult to get on public transport. They suffer from unnecessary fear. Patients suffering from phobic disorder are afraid of going to noisy places. Psychiatrists say that this type of phobia is called agora phobia. Such patients are afraid of climbing high places. Don't want to get on the plane. They avoid places where they cannot move easily. Patients with this type of phobic disorder also experience fear of confined spaces, such as traffic jams, over which they cannot control. They don't want to go where they don't feel safe. Such patients avoid certain things due to this fear even if all other life-styles are fine.

ADHD or Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder
can also be a mental illness in children and adolescents. They may be diagnosed with ADHD. Psychiatrists said that due to this disease, children are overly restless, lack attention and are excessively mischievous. School phobia, school truancy, behavioral problems, autism, mental retardation, sleep problems, eating problems are major among the mental disorders of children and adolescents. According to the National Institute of Mental Health's Family Guide to the Treatment of Mental Disorders, family factors, social factors, and head injuries at birth are the main causes of mental problems in children and adolescents.

Psychologists said that in today's age, mental illness is also caused by children's severe mobile and internet addiction. This results in the child becoming stubborn which leads to his social phobia. In this case, the doctors said that some wrong behavior of the parents also makes the matter stronger

Elderly Delirium or Neuro Cognitive Disorder or Dementia
In addition to general mental illness, dementia, depression and physical illness often cause mental problems in the elderly.

Dr. Head of Psychiatry Department of Savar Enam Medical College Hospital. Md Farooq Hossain said, 'Dementia has become a challenge for the elderly. It is a mental illness. As the number of elderly people increases, the number of patients also increases. The average life expectancy in Bangladesh was 57 years earlier, now the average life expectancy is 73 years. So the number of these patients has also increased. It has become a challenge for the whole world.'

Acute Stress Disorder and PTSD
People go through a form of trauma from any violence. Violent events around the world affect such patients. Psychiatrist Mohit Kamal gave an example and said that the violence, cruelty and violence that people have seen in the anti-discrimination student movement has created a kind of 'trauma' or injury in their mental world. Later this trauma became permanent and then came to the psyche at different times.

Mohit Kamal said, 'People have seen various cruelty and violence including police beating, beating people, shooting. These apparently violent events enter our brains as acute stressors. Now growing as a post-traumatic stage disorder. That is, the trauma they have carried has become permanent. Now this trauma comes in various forms of nightmares in sleep.'

Bipolar disorder
is a complex psychiatric disorder. The number of such patients is less. Among the total 18 percent of people suffering from mental problems in Bangladesh, the number of such patients is one percent, said psychologists. People suffering from this disease are mentally cheerful at one time and after a few days they sink into depression. Both feelings are very intense. Psychiatrists say bipolar disorder is a severe mental health condition that affects mood. These extreme mood swings can last for days or even months. These different mood periods are called 'mood episodes'.

Episodes of over-excitement or over-activity are called mania and episodes of depression are called depression. Many people may have an early depressive episode followed by a mania episode. This episode may change at any time. Many may have two episodes at the same time. But if he has these symptoms, he is not a patient of bipolar disorder, only a mental health specialist can tell his position.

Schizophrenia
is a serious mental illness. Abnormal thinking and behavior are manifestations of this disease. In most cases the symptoms of schizophrenia are delusions and hallucinations i.e. delusions, unrealistic thoughts, irrational suspicions, confusion, paranoia etc. Not all affected patients have the same symptoms. Symptoms depend on the patient. In some patients, symptoms of the disease may develop slowly over months or years, or may appear suddenly, psychiatrists said. The patient hears or sees things that are not there, hearing voices is the main symptom of this disease.

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Strange or irrational manner or behavior in speaking or writing.
Feeling apathetic in important situations.
Neglecting to take care of yourself
.
Decreased emotions, feelings.
Being suspicious also reduces association with family members.