The acting Assistant Director for Out Patient and Casualty, Tshepo Setlhabe at the Joe Morolong Memorial Hospital/Supplied
By OBAKENG MAJE
The community members in the Dr Ruth Segomotsi Mompati region are encouraged to be cautious of mental illness. This comes after the Joe Morolong Memorial Hospital in Vryburg recorded a total of 235 patients, who displayed substance-induced psychosis and 312 known mental users, ultimately being categorised as mental illnesses.
The acting Assistant Director for Out Patient and Casualty, Tshepo Setlhabe at the Joe Morolong Memorial Hospital said mental illness entails a condition that involves psychological and emotional well-being and affects how one perceives things.
Setlhabe further said the community members are advised to take note of the signs and symptoms related to mental illnesses such as hallucination (seeing or hearing things that do not exist), delusions, false beliefs such as witchcraft, negligence of care, poor hygiene, and dirty clothes, insomnia, lack of maintenance of sleep, violence, physical and verbal abuse.
“Another sign might be roaming around without a particular destination. It is important that, when a person displays personality symptoms related to mental illness, they should be taken to the nearest clinic. In case the patient is violent, community members are advised to call the police for assistance.
“The common condition that is prevalent in the hospital is a substance-induced psychotic disorder with 80% of patients displaying this behaviour and dominated by male patients. The most common in patients is the use of a drug substance such as crystal meth, dagga, and nyaope,” he said.
Setlhabe added that the hospital has put in place mechanisms to ensure that health education is promoted to affected patients. He said this is achieved through a multi-disciplinary approach, which entails social workers, psychiatrists, medical officers, nurses, and occupational therapists.
“However, after stabilisation and observation, the patient is then referred to other hospitals for further intervention and treatment. I urge all community members to accord support to those that have mental health illnesses.
“No one is immune to mental illnesses and it can happen to anyone,” said Setlhabe.
The Guardian 