LAHORE, Oct 08 (APP): Emotional support and undivided family attention can play a major role in the treatment of psychiatric patients, helping reduce disease severity and aggressive symptoms alongside conventional medication, said Principal Ameer-ud-Din Medical College Prof. Dr. Jodat Saleem.
He expressed these views while presiding over a special ceremony organized by the Department of Psychiatry at Lahore General Hospital (LGH) on Thursday to mark World Mental Health Day, in line with the global theme set by the World Federation for Mental Health.
Prof Jodat Saleem said mental health was as important as physical health and called for incorporating real-life experiences of patients into healthcare policies to improve psychiatric care, restore patients’ confidence and accelerate their recovery.
Medical Superintendent LGH Prof. Dr. Faryad Hussain and Head of Psychiatry Department Prof. Dr. Faiza Athar urged people not to delay seeking professional medical assistance when early warning signs of mental health problems emerged.
They identified persistent sadness, restlessness, disturbed sleep, changes in appetite, poor concentration, unexplained fatigue and persistent negative thoughts as key indicators of depression and anxiety. They said modern psychiatric care included various recovery approaches beyond medication, including psychotherapy, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), relaxation techniques, telepsychiatry, digital health solutions and community-based mental health programmes.
The ceremony also featured an awareness walk, distribution of educational literature and sharing of recovery stories by former patients to inspire hope among participants. The event was attended by Prof. Mohsin Zaheer, Prof. Nazish Saqlain, Prof. Amna Ahsan Cheema, Dr. Saira Zeeshan, Dr. Syed Abdul Rafay, Dr. Abdul Aziz, Dr. Mahin Rizwan, Alia Sadaf, doctors, medical students, patients and their family members in large numbers.
The ceremony concluded with a cake-cutting ceremony and a pledge to work towards ending the social stigma associated with mental illness.
Source: APP (Associated Press of Pakistan)
