MENTAL illness is a delicate topic for Myanmar people who prefer to meditate on their problems instead of seeing a psychiatrist or visiting a mental health clinic, Lieutenant Dr Vung Suan Thang, a psychiatrist with the Sadanar and Lamin private clinics, said.

Dr Vung Suan Thang said the social stigma surrounding a trip to a psychiatrist often turned people off getting help. Instead many people listen to music, exercise and meditate, in an attempt to calm their minds and relieve stress, he said.

While these were effective methods of stress relief, Dr Vung Suan Thang said it was important for anyone who might me suffering from a mental illness to consult a psychiatrist.

“It is important for people to check on their mind in the same way they would see a doctor for a check-up,” Dr Vung Suan Thang said.

“But if someone sees a psychiatrist people might think he or she is abnormal and people often think twice about it before going,” he said.

Dr Vung Suan Thang explained that mental illnesses are common and should not be seen as strange or abnormal.

“People seem to be worried about their friends knowing they have seen a psychiatrist and many people choose to go to an astrologer instead, because there is nothing strange about that,” he said.

Ko Maung Maung, a 25-year-old university student, said he was suspicious of his neighbour since he was admitted to a mental hospice. Ko Maung Maung said his neighbour drank so much alcohol that he couldn’t remember who his wife and children were. Ko Maung Maung said his neighbour seemed out of control.

“His mental state improved after he received the necessary treatment. Now he is in a very stable condition but I am always reminded of his previous condition and that he is not normal,” Ko Maung Maung said.

U Tun Naing said that the daughter of one of his friends went mad after an unfortunate professional posting out in a rural area.

U Tun Naing said the girl was lonely in her job and had very little money. She was not able to get a transfer to another town and U Tun Naing said she became so displeased that she began to treat everyone like an enemy and became very paranoid.

“She is recovering now but I still do not trust her completely because of the way she was before. I am cautious when I speak to her,” U Tun Naing said.

But not everyone treats people with mental health problems badly, and house wife Daw Kyi Kyi Win, who suffered from depression, said her neighbours and friends treated her with kindness and respect.

When Daw Kyi Kyi’s son was killed in a car accident, her husband blamed her for their son’s death. This led Daw Kyi Kyi to visit a psychiatrist to deal with her depression and grief.

“My husband’s harsh words sent me crazy with guilt and sadness. I didn’t know how to fix the problem and finally some of our relatives suggested that I see a psychiatrist,” Daw Kyi Kyi said.

“Afterwards I felt a lot calmer.”

Daw Kyi Kyi said her neighbours did not look down on her because she had seen a psychiatrist. They treated her normally and sympathised with her.