KARACHI, Oct 24: Due to the stigma attached to mental illness in the country, only about 10 per cent of patients suffering from depression receive proper treatment.

Psychiatrists that Dawn spoke to on Thursday pointed out that while the prevalence of depression in the country was estimated to be around six per cent, its incidence — that is, addition of new cases — was about seven per cent.

The Sindh chapter chief of the Pakistan Psychiatric Society, Dr Amin Gadet, said a large number of patients suffering from depression turned either to general practitioners or to people posing as faith healers who claimed to treat depression without any medication.

“Very few — 10 per cent or thereabouts — of depression patients receive proper medical treatment. Besides, depression is twice as common among women as it is among men,” he added.

Psychiatrist Dr Ajmal Kazmi made clear that depression was different from transient feelings of sadness. “In depression, which is a medical disorder, sad feelings are felt much more intensely and for longer period of time. It can be disruptive to work, social and family life.”

He added that a large number of depression patients manifested their psychological problems through physical problems. “Patients of depression stop taking interest in their everyday activities. Schoolgoing children become lethargic. Housewives become edgy. If their presentation of depression lasts more than two weeks, then their family members should make them visit a psychiatrist.”

Dr Majid Abidi of the Hamdard University Hospital recalls that in a study carried out by his hospital involving 480 patients, 180 patients were found to be suffering from a mental illness. “The study showed that more than 37 per cent of the patients were suffering from one or another mental illness despite the fact that they were not aware of it.”

Dr Gadet says that a combination of family and psychological factors quite often triggered a depressive illness. “The most common factors are chemical/hormonal changes in the brain, major life events such as death of a loved one, divorce, loss of job, financial setback, changes of household, early childhood trauma, chronic conflicts in the family, family history of depression, etc.”

He added that the signs and symptoms of depression included complete feelings of sadness, hopelessness, helplessness, loss of interest, difficultly in concentration and memory problems, lack of energy, difficulty in making decisions, symptoms of anxiety, etc.

He said depression should be taken seriously, both by patients and his/her family members, because suicidal risk among depression patients was about 15 per cent.

He added that early diagnosis of the disease, adequate treatment, rehabilitation, family support especially to those patients who were apt to relapse, could help a depression patient in a big way.

The government promulgated the Mental Health Ordinance early last year. Experts, however, maintain that the three categories of mental disorders (as mentioned in the ordinance) cover major illnesses, but depressive and anxiety disorders (which account for more than five per cent of the population) may need a liberal terminology.