Source: Pixabay People who suffer and cannot cope with their lives when they cannot overcome their problems, usually will end up resorting to something bad. For example, they would probably feel hopeless and say "I want to die", "I cannot do this anymore" or even worst, converting those suicidal thoughts into practice. It shows that they are giving up on life mentally and physically. This scenario is known as a mental disorder. Some people are actually suffering from this disease for quite some time without anyone realizing the pain they are going through. Mental disorder is an umbrella term for several different diseases with varying symptoms. They are generally characterized by some combination of abnormal thoughts, emotions, behavior and relationships with others. Among the diseases that are categorized as mental disorder include depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia and other psychoses, dementia, and developmental disorders including autism. These diseases can become a burden to the society and sadly it is continuing to grow with significant impacts on human health in all countries around the world including Malaysia. According to the 2019 National Health and Morbidity Survey (NHMS), nearly half a million people in in Malaysia experience symptoms of stress or depression. According to the survey, statically 424,000 children had mental health problems. In addition, it also found that half of the mental disorders are detected as early as the age of 14 and three-quarters of them are by mid-20s. It shows how dangerous mental disorders are because of how easily it can attack people at such a young age. Mental disorders do not happen naturally on people because there are some factors which can actually lead to the disease. Your genes and family history Family members with a history of mental disorders can affect other members. Usually one of the parents’ genes can have influence on the children. This situation is common in our society. According to the Ministry of Health Malaysia, family members with a history of mental disorders have a higher risk of passing down the disease to their bloodline than populations with no history. In addition, a study by American psychiatrist Kenneth Kendler stated that the heritability of behavioral traits related with mental disorder may be greater in permissive than in restrictive environments, and susceptibility genes probably work through both "within-the-skin" (physiological) pathways and "outside-the-skin" (behavioral and social) pathways. Brain injury Source: Google Any damage to the brain that disrupts the nervous system on the brain can cause a mental disorder. The reason is the brain is the main system of our body. As a guarantee for our body to function properly we need to have a healthy well-functioning brain to direct the system on the body. There is no way our body can function appropriately with brain damage. A study by Fann, Burington, Leonetti, et al revealed that higher rates of mood, psychotic, and substance abuse disorders have been found following traumatic brain injury (TBI). Findings on the relationship between dangers of TBI and commonly of psychiatric disorders have been inconsistent. However, both of these are related to prior mental health problems as well as direct neurophysiological effects, in a complex interaction with personality and attitude and social influences. Damage during pregnancy The damage during pregnancy could be anything that can harm the baby in the womb. It is called a prenatal damage. Prenatal damage is considered where the damage occurs to a fetus while still in its mother's womb. For instance, the damage happens when the mother consumes alcohol. It has been proven by Dr. Mary L. Gavin that drinking alcohol during pregnancy can cause a woman's baby to be born with birth defects and developmental disabilities. Futhermore, she also mentioned some of the possible problems that might happen to the babies, such as behavioral problems which cause them to be picky or anxious, and having trouble to sleep well. Other problems include poor growth of the babies. Newborns may have low birth weights and small head sizes. They may not grow or gain weight as well as other children and may be short as adults. Life experiences Source: Getty images In the present modern world, some people are experiencing a good life while others are experiencing the opposite. Basically, people who are suffering from bad life experiences usually experience them as early as their childhood days. For example, people who went through parental abuse as a child. Such abuse usually happens when the parents are too controlling and strict with their children. It is not wrong for parents to be strict with their children but the parents should encourage them based on their abilities and not to force them. A popular case that we are often exposed to is when parents force their children to strictly focus on studies until they are restricted to spend time on other potential mind-relaxing matters like socializing with friends, playing sports and games or taking a breath of the outdoor fresh air. When they have no source of entertainment or relaxation, eventually they will feel stress. Indirectly, such stressful life experiences can develop a range of disorders, including mood and anxiety disorders. Self-esteem problem Source: Pixabay Low self-esteem is one of the factors leading to the build up of mental disorders that is synonymous with teenagers. Low self-esteem is characterized by lack of confidence and feeling bad about one’s own self. People with low self-esteem often feel unlovable, awkward and sad. The way they feel that way can make them a loner. According to researchers Morris Rosenberg and Timothy J. Owens, who wrote Low Self-Esteem People: A Collective Portrait, people with low self-esteem tend to be hypersensitive. They have a fragile sense of self that can easily be wounded by others. For example, when they got criticized about their appearances, their abilities or other physical and mental attributes, they will feel terribly down to the point they feel that they are being bullied by others. It shows how difficult it is for them to communicate or socialize with others. Elizabeth Venzin, an advocate of preventative mental health added that a person who has low self-esteem has an increased risk of developing depression.
In a conclusion, mental disorders are one of the mental diseases that should be taken seriously in our society. The society needs to know and learn about them in order to help those suffering from mental disorders and in need of critical attention to overcome this kind of disease. The society also cannot blame them for having a weak religious faith. This kind of illness is not solely related to religion. Anyone can have this disease including the religious ones. Therefore, it is strongly encouraged to help them regardless of their background as best we can. It is one of the principles of the Muslim faith to help our fellow human beings. In the holy Quran, Allah says: “Help one another in acts of piety and righteousness. And do not assist each other in acts of sinfulness and transgression. And be aware of Allah. Verily, Allah is severe in punishment” (Quran 5:2)
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AuthorMuhammad Nazhan bin Sho Khaimin |