The Mental Health Awareness Campaign started yesterday at the Institute
of Clinical Psychology (ICP) University of Karachi, Gulistan-e-Jauhar. A
free camp was established providing diversified services including
counselling, speech therapy, hypnosis clinic, psychiatric OPD, and
activities for special children. More than 500 people attended the
event, meant to commemorate World Mental Health Day.
The Institute has been doing a great job since its establishment in 1984 having produced around 50 PhD's who are serving in their respective fields.
Surely, in a mega city like Karachi denizens need to know who to contact when they are affected by psychological disorders. To this date, not many people in our country have awareness pertaining psychology, which is the core of human behaviour. Such events can be conducive to building a tolerant, peaceful, healthy society.
While talking to Daily Times Dr Hina Imran, an Assistant Professor at ICP-KU, said that awareness regarding psychology was direly needed in our society wherein few knew what to do when they were faced with behavioural problems.
When asked if she thinks Karachi's social conditions, violence and uncertainty have to do with the rampant psychological illnesses in the city, she ruled out any probability and said that, "The US have comparatively more cases of such disorders whereas our people are just devoid of proper education of the subject which is quite deplorable but our being a part the third world does not make any difference in this case."
Commenting on sex education, Dr Hina Imran said that it was necessary to impart this information, keeping in view the age of children. "A child has to be of an appropriate age and by appropriate I mean that a school going kid should know what parts of his/her body should be protected and when or who to complaint to if somebody tries to attack. Having reached puberty, a kid should be given a chance to know about sexuality lest s/he discovers on his/her own out of curiosity, which can lead to personality destruction."
On another note, while talking of the recently reported Child Sex Abuse cases, she remarked that the culprits who sexually assaulted these children couldn't be considered mentally ill or psychotics. "It has to do more with the values and personality development our society severely seems to lack," she said.
Talking about the programme initiated by the institute, the professor said that the stigma associated with mental illnesses was a major hindrance in treatment.
"Through our campaign we want to let people know that taking a psychologist's help when in need, is nothing to feel ashamed of," said Dr Hina. It is certainly true that in our society mental illness is considered a 'taboo' and deliberately neglected instead of searching for ways to cure it by contacting counsellors.
The event will continue until November 4. However, the Free Camp was only for the first day, the institute will be holding seminars throughout the week on relevant topics.
Source : Daily Times , 8th October 2013
The Institute has been doing a great job since its establishment in 1984 having produced around 50 PhD's who are serving in their respective fields.
Surely, in a mega city like Karachi denizens need to know who to contact when they are affected by psychological disorders. To this date, not many people in our country have awareness pertaining psychology, which is the core of human behaviour. Such events can be conducive to building a tolerant, peaceful, healthy society.
While talking to Daily Times Dr Hina Imran, an Assistant Professor at ICP-KU, said that awareness regarding psychology was direly needed in our society wherein few knew what to do when they were faced with behavioural problems.
When asked if she thinks Karachi's social conditions, violence and uncertainty have to do with the rampant psychological illnesses in the city, she ruled out any probability and said that, "The US have comparatively more cases of such disorders whereas our people are just devoid of proper education of the subject which is quite deplorable but our being a part the third world does not make any difference in this case."
Commenting on sex education, Dr Hina Imran said that it was necessary to impart this information, keeping in view the age of children. "A child has to be of an appropriate age and by appropriate I mean that a school going kid should know what parts of his/her body should be protected and when or who to complaint to if somebody tries to attack. Having reached puberty, a kid should be given a chance to know about sexuality lest s/he discovers on his/her own out of curiosity, which can lead to personality destruction."
On another note, while talking of the recently reported Child Sex Abuse cases, she remarked that the culprits who sexually assaulted these children couldn't be considered mentally ill or psychotics. "It has to do more with the values and personality development our society severely seems to lack," she said.
Talking about the programme initiated by the institute, the professor said that the stigma associated with mental illnesses was a major hindrance in treatment.
"Through our campaign we want to let people know that taking a psychologist's help when in need, is nothing to feel ashamed of," said Dr Hina. It is certainly true that in our society mental illness is considered a 'taboo' and deliberately neglected instead of searching for ways to cure it by contacting counsellors.
The event will continue until November 4. However, the Free Camp was only for the first day, the institute will be holding seminars throughout the week on relevant topics.
Source : Daily Times , 8th October 2013
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