CRH’s psychiatric dept observes Mental Health Week

WESTERN BUREAU:

THE PSYCHIATRIC department at the Cornwall Regional Hospital [CRH] in Montego Bay, St James, kick-started its observance of Mental Health Week with an education campaign targeting patients’ relatives, featuring too opportunities for relaxation for staff members.

Mental Health Week at the institution is being observed under the theme, ‘Prioritising mental health in the workplace’. On Monday, the department showcased several displays on mental disorders and coping strategies. The day’s activities also included extended visiting hours for patients’ relatives, and presentations on the various mental conditions.

Dr Janine Morris, acting regional psychiatrist at the Western Regional Health Authority [WRHA], cautioned that mental health maintenance within the workplace is crucial, as mental issues such as depression, schizophrenia, and bipolar disorder can affect anyone at any time.

“Normally we focus on patient-centred issues, but we have not really looked at mental health in the workplace, which can be a very stressful place to be, and where there are different people and different personalities that you have to deal with,” Morris told The Gleaner.

“Sometimes a lot of challenges can arise which then lead to stress, depression, and worsening of any pre-existing mental health issues, and oftentimes persons who have mental health issues are stigmatised as a result of just being diagnosed with a mental illness.”

“I often like to highlight that there is a thin line between being mentally ill and mentally well, because it just takes the slightest stressor, and mental illness is no respecter of race, culture, age, or gender. It can happen to anyone, to you, to me, or to your family. So we need to be aware of these things and try to educate ourselves as much as possible, so that we can decrease the stigma that surrounds mentally ill people, especially in the workplace,” added Morris. Nakino Linton-Mowatt, the acting ward sister at the CRH’s psychiatry department, underscored the importance of the approach, noting that mental health education is important to counter and correct misconceptions that people have about mental illness.

“What we find is that a lot of persons have misconceptions about mental illness and how it affects you, and how it affects your ability to function and interact with others. There are different categories of mental illness, and it does not necessarily mean that if or when someone has a mental illness, that means that is it for them,” said Linton-Mowatt.

“Affected persons can still get treatment, be it medication or therapy, that helps to improve their mental function and mental capacity so they can continue to do things,” Linton-Mowatt continued. “We have patients who are doctors, nurses, and lawyers, so mental illness can affect anybody no matter what your career path is. It is very important to note that it is not a death sentence, and that there is hope.”

This year’s Mental Health Week observance by CRH started with a church service at Montego Bay’s Calvary Baptist Church on Sunday, October 6, as spirituality is seen as an important component of mental wellness.

A spa day was scheduled for Tuesday, October 8, with activities to include manicures and pedicures for the psychiatric patients. Backyard gardening activities was the planned focus for Wednesday, while on Thursday and Friday back-to-back outings are planned for staffers. A sports day and karaoke outing is set for Saturday.