GEORGE TOWN, Nov 2 – Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM) School of Communication will host a social campaign as a final year project. This year, USM School of Communication are organizing an “It’s In Us” campaign, which is an awareness-raising campaign on mental health. The campaign aims towards youths in the USM main campus and around Penang in the aim to raise awareness on mental health issues and educate them as well as provide support to for those who are suffering with mental illness.
Stress or Depressed?
Stress and depression may have one or two similar symptoms, but on the psychological basis of the two are mutually different and often misunderstood by the public, especially youth. A preliminary study of a social-themed mental health campaign by a group of final year Communication students at USM recently found that many youths only had a moderate level of knowledge on mental illness with data’s finding at an average score of 3.688.
Based on the collection of data, most respondents confirmed the existing exist mental illness but were uncertain about specific symptoms of depression compared to other mental illnesses. Therefore, stress is different from depression because it is a state of mental stress that either gives a positive or negative internal health reaction to the individual who experiences it. Ironically, with depression, it is a serious public health problem and is capable of adverse effects if it is not treated.
Stress is a common occurrence in most situations in the community, for example those who undergo daily routines at work or college. Stress can give a positive reaction to an individual’s work performance for example when facing anxiety like competing in sports and completing tasks that are getting closer to the deadline. However, do you know that extreme stress like chronic stress can cause a person to be susceptible to depression?
What is Depression?
Depression or also called ‘depressive disorder’ is a type of mental illness where one will experience moodiness and loss of interest and pleasure to perform most of the activity in prolonged period. It can affect the deterioration of important life functions such as social functions, academies, occupations and so on.
Medical lecturer and psychiatrist at Bertam Institute of Advanced Medicine and Dental (IPPT), Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM), Dr. Mohammad Farris Iman Leong Abdullah said, “A study of depression in Malaysia shows that the rate of this disease is between 8 and 12 percent of the general population.
“However, the actual rate may be higher since many people are unaware that they are depressed, thus not getting treatment.” According to him again, there are at least nine symptoms to diagnose an individual being susceptible to depression. Here are seven of the nine common symptoms that may be experienced by depressed patients: –
1) Emotional Depression
People with depression are usually vulnerable to emotional depression, which is a very sad feeling. This feeling will usually cause someone to cry suddenly without any circumstance that causes it. Patients who experience lesser mood emotionally will not complain of depression, but they may complain of physical symptoms that are not only focused on one side of the body such as headache, heartburn and chest pain.
2) Lost Interests
Patients will not only complain of losing their interest in their daily routine, but worse still lose interest in their favorite activities or hobbies. Initially, patients will say they are losing interest in daily life. When the situation gets worse, they will complain of lost interest in all aspects of life.
3) Feeling Useless and Disappointed
Patients will think they are useless people and nothing done will fail. Lack of interest in doing all the activities causes them to do nothing in life further proving that they are useless.
4) Suicidal
Some say they want to sleep indefinitely without having to wake up or they hope they have a dangerous illness that has no medication that leads to death. Some even say they are trying to counter the recurring suicide thoughts in their brain. Some patients may try to drive speed so that accidents happen and they will be killed. Other patients will plan to commit suicide such as planning the time, place, tools needed and writing a will to loved ones and friends.
5) Changes in Eating Habits and/or Weight Loss
Appetite decreases almost daily or weight decreases by at least 5% in a month even without dieting. There are also some patients with increased appetite or increased weight due to increased appetite, less physical activity or both.
6) Sleeping Problems
Most patients suffer from insomnia that are often awake from sleep at night and only some who have difficulty sleeping. Some patients will complain over sleep or hypersomnia and it will be difficult to get up early and feel tired after waking up.
7) Psychomotor Disorders
Some patients may experience psychomotor disorders as they cannot sit still and hands are constantly moving. Symptoms like these are often less frequent in patients than psychomotor deterioration. Patients with psychomotor deterioration can be diagnosed through slow-moving body movements; posture bent and eyes pointing down; obesity; intermittent conversation; take a long time to answer and slur in talking; feel like the time passes slowly or the time has ceased; short attention span and forgetful; and indecisive.
However, individuals do not necessarily have to experience all these seven symptoms to diagnosis as being depressed. According to Dr. Mohammad Farris Iman Leong Abdullah, an individual need to only experience at least five symptoms to be diagnosed as depressed. Patients may be confused whether they are experiencing normal stress or depression due to multiple symptoms like both changes in appetite and sleep problems.
Therefore, the level of patient depression will be worse if not immediately realized and treated. Patients may also be susceptible to other risks such as suicidal or suicidal attempts, deterioration of life-threatening functions and drug and alcohol abuse. In fact, the Malaysian society, especially youths, should not be aware of the existence of various mental illnesses. Various other aspects are also important as; symptoms and treatments for mental illness such as depression should be emphasized.
In October this year, a group of final year students of Communication at Universiti Sains Malaysia will launch ‘It’s In Us’, a youth-focused mental health campaign. The campaign is expected to meet the three recommended objectives; raising youth awareness of various mental illness symptoms; reducing youth stigma on mental health issues; and educate the youth to provide support to mental patients.
People are encouraged to participate in the programs organized by the organizers by regularly following the current information regarding the campaign on Facebook or Instagram ‘Its In Us’ website. Any further inquiries by the public may contact the organizer via email [email protected] or 017-4827195 (Amirul Izham) — PN
