ARAB NEWS: JEDDAH: Psychiatrists, sociologists and other experts have expressed alarm over rising suicide rates and called for increased efforts to raise awareness about mental illnesses and how they can be treated.
They called on families, workplaces and schools to accept mentally ill people and never think of them as lunatics.
Suicide cases in the Kingdom reached 787 in 2010, an increase of 39 percent over the previous year, according to the Jeddah General Psychiatrist Hospital.
An official source at the hospital told Arab News Friday that between 100 and 120 patients come to the hospital every day seeking treatment for various psychological disorders. “At least five of these cases need to be admitted,” he added.
The hospital has 120 beds, of which 20 have been set aside for women. “These figures are enough proof that mental illnesses are on the rise throughout the Kingdom,” the source said on condition of anonymity.
He added many mentally ill Saudis shy away from psychiatric hospitals and prefer to go to faith healers and magicians for treatment. “Some of the patients do not know that they are psychologically unwell and hence will keep silent until their conditions have deteriorated,” he said. » | MD Humaidan | ARAB NEWS | Sunday, April 03, 2011
