DR Earl Wright, director of mental health services in the Ministry of Health, says the myths that mental health disorders are caused by obeah or demon possession continue to thwart efforts to effectively address the disease.

Pointing to the results of a recent knowledge attitude practice survey, Dr Wright said it was discovered that some 81 per cent of persons still held fast to this myth.

“It is with this in mind that we have the public education programme educating people on signs and symptoms on the various mental disorders and the causes and where they can go for help,” he told the Observer.

According to Dr Wright, how one views mental disorder will affect how the disorder is presented.

“This is important in regards to health workers, because today we are seeing a diversity of individuals with mental health disorders coming from different backgrounds,” he said.

“We are seeing them from rural and urban areas, uptown and downtown, educated and uneducated, and all these variables will affect how individuals show disorders and it also influences how health workers will treat these individuals,” he added.

Dr Wright explained that although many may not be aware, mental health services are provided at all health centres and hospitals throughout the island.

“We admit patients with various mental disorders to all hospitals throughout the country, but many persons still don’t know that and so we have been promoting where we treat and how we treat,” he said.

He added also that many general practitioners have been trained within the health system in the recognition, treatment and management of mental disorders.

Dr Wright was speaking at yesterday’s ceremony at King’s House in which governor general Professor Kenneth Hall declared Wednesday, October 10 as Mental Health Day and next week as Mental Health Week. This year’s theme is ‘Mental Health in a Changing World: The impact of Culture and Diversity’.

Among the activities planned for next week’s celebrations is a concert at the Girl Guides Headquarters in Kingston which will feature a young audience promoting mental health. On Wednesday, there will be a training session as well as the launching of the booklet on how to grow smart children.

The booklet, Dr Wright said, is very critical since it contains “specific things” that need to be addressed early in life to promote good mental health.

Pointing to the recent survey, Dr Wright explained that there continues to be a “very high level” of stigma against persons with mental disorders.

“It is not going to take one campaign to remove what is hardwired into people’s systems,” he said.

Speaking specifically to a recent incident involving a teacher with a mental disorder at St George’s Infant and Primary School, Dr Wright said it only goes to show the level of stigma attached to the disease.

“If that person had tuberculosis or diabetes which can also influence your brain or mental activities, I am sure the media would not have sent cameras or it wouldn’t be news. But because of the stigma associated with mental illnesses then you have the sensationalism,” he said.

Dr Wright, however, believes that some of the issues will be addressed as people become more aware of the disease.

“We know much more about the brain and we can see the brain in real time, therefore as we know more about these disorders and we educate the people telling them it is not caused by obeah and demon possession and going to the obeah man isn’t going to help, then we will get a decrease in the level of stigma,” he said.