A consultant psychiatrist at the Acute Psychiatric Unit of the Dominica-China Friendship Hospital, Dr. Nadia Wallace, has revealed that there are almost 300 mental conditions that can be considered as mental illnesses. He said at least one in five cases can positively be diagnosed as mental illness, and that is why people need to seek medical attention when they have symptoms.
The psychiatric consultant stated that mental disorders are more common than people percieve, and that the stigma surrounding the subject makes it harder for people to identify as suffering from the condition. She said the nation has to destigmatize mental illness so that sufferers can step out of their shells to seek medical help in time.
She noted that it is possible to have the symptoms of mental illness and not know it, hence the need to go to a mental specialist for proper diagnosis and help. She said that the earlier medical interventions are initiated, the better the health outcome for the individual affected. She said people should prioritize their mental health with a view to enjoying overall medical wellness.
So many times we have the symptoms and we don’t recognize them for what they are. We don’t recognize them as symptoms of a mental illness. Because the perception out there of mental illness is so different from what it really is – we think mental illness…we think psychosis…we think the person out there has been knocked out of reality. According to the diagnostic DSM-5, there are close to 300 mental conditions that we can consider as mental illnesses.
Dr. Nadia Wallace, Consultant psychiatrist at the Acute Psychiatric Unit of the Dominica-China Friendship Hospital
The mental expert stated that treating mental conditions is different from patient to patient and that treatment depends on the actual diagnosis and the type of mental disorder in question. She said that there is no one-size-fits-all approach and that potential patients should visit the hospital for immediate help if they suspect they are having mental health conditions.
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