Mental health issues plague 10 million
PUBLISHED: 29 May 2024 at 08: 09
According to the National Economic and Social Development Council ( NESDC ), almost 11 % of the country’s population is thought to be mentally ill, and almost 10 million of them are in danger of suicide.
However, about 16 % of the community is constantly stressed out, it said.
Danucha Pichayanan, director- standard of NESDC, said on Monday, upon the launch of the company’s second quarter report on Thai society, that emotional health has become a crucial issue.
According to the Department of Mental Health, there are now 2.9 million clinical people in 2023, up from 1.3 million in 2015.
” Despite Thailand officially having 2.9 million patients who received medical treatment]last year], the actual number of those with mental health issues may reach as many as 10 million, as many people do n’t seek treatment”, Mr Danucha said.
This suggests there are a significant quantity of undiagnosed cases and that we have a higher percentage of these patients than the average worldwide.
A significant portion of the population is also at risk of developing mental health issues.
The department discovered that between Oct. 1, 2023, and April 22, 2024, the proportion of people with mental health issues who experienced high stress levels was 15.48 %, the risk of depression was 17.20 %, and the risk of suicide was 10.63 %.
According to Mr. Danucha, these images have declined over the past few years, adding that mental health issues have a significant impact on the economy. According to the World Health Organization, depression and anxiety cause an economic decline of over US$ 1 trillion, or about 12 billion days worldwide.
Almost one in five people with mental health issues are able to take care of themselves, which necessitates home support, he said, leading to significant human resource losses. Additionally, less than a third of medical patients with high levels of risk are properly monitored and cared for.
Additionally, the NESDC discovered that more people experience depression and anxiety as a result of rising economic and social pressure. The top two mental health issues in governmental 2023 were anxiety and depression, surpassing both meth abuse and other substance abuse combined.
According to Mr. Danucha, the murder charge is nearly as high as it was during the Tom Yam Kung crisis in 1997.
” In governmental 2023, the murder charge was 7.94 per 100, 000 people, close to the charge during the Tom Yum Kung turmoil at 8.59 per 100, 000 people”, he said, adding that economic problems also impact mental health.
According to a study in the UK, air pollution increased young people’s levels of depression by 20 %.
Seven out of ten people in Bangkok experience stress at work, according to Mahidol University.