Number of people visiting a psychiatrist has increased over the years. The hospital saw 637 people visiting the psychiatrist last year alone. The number is increasing still. Today, there are about 35 people visiting psychiatrist every day. It used to be only four to five patients a couple of years back.
Doctor Nirola, a psychiatrist with the JDWNH Hospital in Thimphu says the social stigma of visiting the psychiatrist still prevails. “Interestingly the educated people are more reluctant to come and see us while the uneducated once have no hesitation. For them a doctor is a doctor.”
Of the 637 people who visited the psychiatrist last year, only 15 of them were suffering from psychosis. Psychosis is a symptom or feature of mental illness. The rest came for consultation due to anxiety, depression, epilepsy and consumption of alcohol among other reasons.
Doctor Nirola said there is still a need for awareness and educational programs on mental health.
“People complain of pain and they waste so much time running around looking for doctor but they never realize that the pain is caused by stress or some anxiety. They don’t come and see us.” He said when they try to convince them that they are suffering from mental disorder they don’t accept it. “They never try to relate pain and stress together. So it is very difficult for us to convince them,” he said adding more needs to be done to let people understand about the disorder.
