Dr Maumoon Shareef, Consultant Psychiatrist and Head of the Hulhumale’ Hospital Mental Health Centre spoke to The Edition at length about ways in which families, friends and communities can help people living with mental health challenges.
Watch the full interview:
With the recent spike in tragedies, Dr Maumoon also shared what to do in times of mental health crises, as well as underlying factors that increase the risk of self harm, and healthy coping mechanisms for those living under the cloud of different mental health struggles.
Urgency in mental health care
Dr Maumoon explained what constitutes a psychiatric emergency.
The most urgent is when a person has suicidal intent. This is when they have active suicidal planning and the intention to carry it out. In this instance, urgent care is imperative.
Others have what is called suicidal ideation, Dr Maumoon said. This is when they have passive thoughts of suicide, such as ‘I should disappear, I wish a car hit me, I don’t mind not being here,” and so on. In these instances, they have an indifference towards dying, but will not act on it.
“It’s not about which specific diagnosis is the most serious, but rather about what is immediately dangerous to the person’s life or those around them,” Dr Maumoon explained.
Besides these situations, a person in a state of psychosis and are unable to tell what is real from what is not, and a person in a state of delirium, or agitated enough to harm them or those around them also need immediate care.
These are psychiatric emergencies, and people in such situations must be rushed to the hospital, Dr Maumoon advised.
What can an individual with a person in crisis do?
It is key in situations such as these to not leave the patient by themselves, Dr Maumoon emphasized.
He advised calling a family member, teacher, policeman, or any other appropriate adult to assist you.
The patient must be rushed to the hospital without delay.
“Even if this happens late at night, don’t wait till morning, or delay it. It’s okay to come immediately to the ER,” Dr Maumoon said.
In the meantime, he advises talking to the patient in a calm manner and offering support, while at the same time ensuring you do not expose yourself to harm.
“It’s better to call for help, and them get them the help they are in need of, rather than wait or delay.”
Resources that you can reach out to include the National Mental Health Helpline 1677, and for students and teachers, the Ministry of Education Helpline 1484.
In the instance that you are alone when you experience a psychiatric emergency, reach out to the helpline, where trained counsellors can assist you.
As an immediate measure, Dr Maumoon suggests doing something actively to divert your attention, something that will refocus your senses, such as holding ice cubes in your hands, pacing up and down or calling a friend or trusted individual.
To overcome the urge to self harm, Dr Maumoon recommends redirecting the urge through acts such as cutting paper instead, drawing lines on your wrist, or a similar distraction to delay the urge and ground yourself.
If the thoughts are repeating, do not hesitate to call for help, Dr Maumoon urges.
Factors that contribute to rising risks
Dr Maumoon pointed out the lack of community connections in society today as a key contributing factor to mental health crises.
“People are more isolated now. There is less community and people tend to try fixing everything on their own,” he raised concerns.
Another aggravating factor is the habit of ‘doom scrolling’ or ‘bed rotting’.
People tend to spend extensive time on social media nowadays, leading to them comparing themselves with what others are presenting.
“People are constantly scrolling on Instagram and TikTok and comparing your lives to the wonderful times they [people on social media] are having, the wonderful looks they are having, and feeling bad about yourself,” Dr Maumoon worried.
How can you help?
Dr Maumoon noted that it would help for people facing mental health challenges to be a part of community physically, going to work or school regularly, perhaps with the timings adjusted to suit them better, and engaging with people around them.
He urged people around them to ensure they are taking regular medication, sleeping well, eating well, exercising, and are not isolating themselves. That they have a trusted person they can confide in and are not bottling up their emotions.
“Focus on prevention and making sure people with chronic conditions are getting the help they need,” he advised.
Dr Maumoon also stressed the social stigma around mental health that still prevents people from actively seeking help.
He, however, believes that the stigma can be overcome with community efforts, highlighting how AIDS and TB used to be similarly considered, until the combined efforts of community leader and social health workers improved people’s perception and response radically.
