PERTUBUHAN KEBAJIKAN MENTAL SELANGOR
We Make It Easy to Help Others
HOMELESS MENTALLY ILL
People with poor mental health are more susceptible to the three main factors that can lead to homelessness: poverty, disaffiliation, and personal vulnerability. Because they often lack the capacity to sustain employment, they have little income. Delusional thinking may lead them to withdraw from friends, family and other people. This loss of support leaves them fewer coping resources in times of trouble. Mental illness can also impair a person’s ability to be resilient and resourceful; it can cloud thinking and impair judgment. For all these reasons, people with mental illness are at greater risk of becoming homeless.
Homelessness, in turn, amplifies poor mental health. The stress of being homeless may exacerbate previous mental illness and encourage anxiety, fear, depression, sleeplessness and substance use. The needs of homeless people with mental illnesses are similar to those without mental illnesses: physical safety; education; transportation; affordable housing; and, affordable medical/dental treatment. When providing care to the homeless, it is essential to create a non-threatening and supportive atmosphere, address basic needs (e.g. food and shelter), and provide accessible care.
People with mental illness remain homeless for longer periods of time and have less contact with family and friends. 30-35 percent of the homeless, in general, and up to 75 percent of homeless women specifically, have a mental illness. 20-25 percent of homeless people suffer from concurrent disorders (severe mental illness and addictions). People who have a severe mental illness are over-represented in the homeless population, as they are often released from hospitals and jails without proper community supports in place.
More Malaysians are expected to suffer mental health problems but treatment alone is insufficient to reduce this public health burden, according to the Health Ministry.
The ministry’s Mental Health Unit public health physician Dr Nurashikin Ibrahim said as the country became more urbanised, Malaysians were facing more job-related stress, and a high risk of developing psychosocial problems.
She said among children and adolescents, loneliness, parental discord, poor parenting style, parents’ mental health status and parent-child relationships could all contribute to their state of mental health.
“Generally, there has been an increasing burden of mental health problems over the past 10 years and it is expected to rise over the next 20 years unless measures are taken to address those issues,” Dr Nurashikin told The Star.
She said other factors that could also lead to poor mental health were poverty, homelessness, unsafe environments, peer pressure and unemployment.
Results of the 2011 National Health and Morbidity Survey showed that 12% of Malaysians aged between 18 and 60, suffered from mental health problems.
The survey also showed that the prevalence of depression and anxiety disorders among adults was 1.8% and 1.7% respectively.
According to the World Health Organisation, depression is expected to be the leading cause of disability by 2020.
CHARITY EVENTS
Hand in hand charity
SORRY THE EVENT HAS BEEN EXPIRED , THANK YOU FOR JOINING US
CHARITY EVENTS
Create awareness on mental health and provide services for those suffering from it.
The personal stories shared and the interactive session for Q & A allowed for a comfortable atmosphere for people to not only feel safe to discuss and connect, but to recognize that mental health is something that can affect us all.
CHARITY EVENTS
Home Visiting
Home visiting programs appear to be reaching some of the most vulnerable families.
