Renowned for its impressive healthcare services is the acute care and outpatient facility, Bangkok Mental Health Hospital (BMHH). Notable for its prominent role in our community’s mental health support, the hospital recorded an alarming spike in depression cases in recent months. According to BMHH, sorrow’s shadow had cast over the majority of their estimated 1,000 patients treated over the second and third quarter of the year, signifying a noteworthy concern.
Moving past anguish-induced fog, the winged beast of anxiety emerged as the second primary concern trailing behind depression. Stalking closely in third and fourth places were high stress environments that led to panic attacks, and the relentless emotional rollercoaster—bipolar disorder. That was the disturbing trend revealed in the hospital’s recent report.
Digging deeper into the data, the hospital found that the majority of patients belonged to the somewhat still blooming 25-40 age group, painting a worrying picture. The most common grievances echoed were from this bracket, where widespread issues ranged from family or spousal distress, to immense pressure from the chains of financial duress or job-related constraints.
From the hospital’s observation, people navigating the challenging waters of ages 25 to 40 often found themselves in the throes of great stress—a consequence of shifting societal trends and fierce competition in their career fields. Prepared to walk this journey of mutual understanding and support, Dr Paveena Srimanothip, the respected CEO of BMHH, emphasized that not all who sought help were admitted as patients. Recognizing the therapeutic benefits of talk therapy, many only posed pressing questions to psychiatrists, seeking to unlock the path to cope better with their stress-clouded life.
In her words of wisdom, Dr Srimanothip advises everyone to keep a check on their feelings, almost like a daily temperature check for emotional well-being. She strongly advocates reaching out to healthcare professionals before the weight of mental distress snowballs into a crisis that’s too big to handle. Remember, prevention is always better and easier than cure.
An important point to note is that mental health disorders like depression often arise from chemical imbalances in the brain, and it’s no one’s fault—it’s a phenomenon as common as catching the common cold. Treatments are relatively straightforward, usually involving a course of medication designed to restore the brain’s chemical balance.
However, the chilling truth seems to be that the cases presented to BMHH only represent a small fragment of the whole picture — the apex of a largely unseen iceberg. Many individuals facing depressive symptoms do not seek help, leading to a vast number of mental illnesses drifting unchecked and untreated. Let us hope that in acknowledging and addressing these issues head-on, we can shine a light on our society’s formidable shadows and conquer them in solidarity.
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