Picture: Siam Rath

 

A seminar to mark World Bipolar Day heard that 10 million Thais are suffering from mental health issues.

 

And one million have Bipolar Disorder yet only 1% of those are getting the treatment they need. 

 

Thailand's DPM and Health Minister was guest of honor at the event in which he said that it was important to raise awareness of mental health issues in general and bipolar in particular. 

 

WHO estimate that 25-42% of bipolar sufferers attempt suicide at one point and that between 10-20% are successful, reported Siam Rath.

 

Prof Dr Chawanan Charnsin, the head of the Psychiatry Association of Thailand said that 10 million Thais have mental health problems. 

 

One million of those have bipolar disorder but many don't know it. 

 

Generally coming on in the teen years, the condition is often misdiagnosed as just depression or teen problems and on average it is up to 11 years before they are properly diagnosed if at all. 

 

Most have bipolar symptoms between the ages of 15 and 19 followed by 20 to 24. 

 

Fifty per cent of sufferers are diagnosed by age 20. 

 

 

-- © Copyright Thai Visa News 2021-04-01

 

- Whatever you're going through, the Samaritans are here for you

- Follow Thaivisa on LINE for breaking COVID-19 updates

So there are supposed to be 10 million with mental health problems.

Wonder what percentage of those running the country have mental health problems, i could certainly name a few.????

1 minute ago, colinneil said:

So there are supposed to be 10 million with mental health problems.

Wonder what percentage of those running the country have mental health problems, i could certainly name a few.????

That was the survey among with 10 milion government workers.

21 minutes ago, webfact said:

Prof Dr Chawanan Charnsin, the head of the Psychiatry Association of Thailand said that 10 million Thais have mental health problems. 

A rather conservative estimate - Is this another Super Poll with 1,000 respondents?

figures sound very rounded up

So approx 1/6th of the Thai population have mental issues. That is an astronomical number if true.  As a mental health professional I find it hard to believe, but then lack of money, family expectations, and stress can cause depression that worsens.  Wonder how the suicide prevention hot lines are doing, oh wait TIT and FACE keeps people from telling others of their own deep dark problems and secrets.

In my experience it would seem many must have driving licences ! and certainly motorcycles.

3 minutes ago, CharlieH said:

In my experience it would seem many must have driving licences ! and certainly motorcycles.

That's a good view, suicidal every time they ride out.

21 minutes ago, colinneil said:

So there are supposed to be 10 million with mental health problems.

Wonder what percentage of those running the country have mental health problems, i could certainly name a few.????

100% Colin, 100%. We see it daily with the news reports, either that or it's all ego driven.

17 minutes ago, Phuketshrew said:

A rather conservative estimate - Is this another Super Poll with 1,000 respondents?

No, 10 million took part in the survey.

Just now, Tanoshi said:

No, 10 million took part in the survey.

A survey could make you mental just by the wording.

Surely for Thailand this is the wrong way around, isn't it that 10 million don't have mental problems? 

Not mental health issues just "nit noi ting tong".....

Just now, webfact said:

A seminar to mark World Bipolar Day heard that 10 million Thais are suffering from mental health issues.

 

And one million have Bipolar Disorder yet only 1% of those are getting the treatment they need. 

 

This will come as no surprise at all to anyone who knows anything about Thai mental health. I don't mean the posers or people who pretend to know something about it but really don't. Anyone who actually knows at least a little about it will not be surprised about this at all, the real position of Thai mental health is as plain as day, even watching a little Thai TV makes it very clear. Sadly.

 

58 minutes ago, webfact said:

 

A seminar to mark World Bipolar Day heard that 10 million Thais are suffering from mental health issues.

 

This would explain much of what we hear of and see on a daily basis.

35 minutes ago, ThailandRyan said:

So approx 1/6th of the Thai population have mental issues. That is an astronomical number if true.  As a mental health professional I find it hard to believe

I find it hard to believe that the number is not higher. 

I am not sure that being told one in six Thais are mentally unstable is news. 

And numbers go up on a daily basis as the "female" citizens are missing their handsum,falangs to mut and with it, the money.

Just now, ThailandRyan said:

So approx 1/6th of the Thai population have mental issues. That is an astronomical number if true.  As a mental health professional I find it hard to believe,

 

I find it very hard to believe that an experienced and appropriately qualified mental health professional would find the suggested incidence of mental health problems in the Thai population is hard to believe.

 

If anything, I think the problem has been understated and it actually rather worse than suggested, the evidence really is very much "in your face" if you watch even a little bit of Thai TV, even sfter making allowances for the impact that the learned (imposed) Thai culture has on the population.

 

Of course, my opinion is affected by my own cultural background, so there is that - inevitably.

 

Primarily its a product of the poor education system here that produces emotionally immature adults who then go on to parent their children in the same way and the vicious circle continues.

 

Look how many teachers here tend to blow up or lose control of their emotions if things do not go their way. This behaviour is then projected onto the kids.

 

Bipolar and Emotional Immaturity can produce many similar symptoms.

I see them daily driving.. The whole road network is a mental asylum..

only 10 million???? ????

Just now, Bkk Brian said:

Primarily its a product of the poor education system here that produces emotionally immature adults who then go an to parent their children in the same way and the vicious circle continues.

 

Look how many teachers here tend to blow up or lose control of their emotions if things do not go their way. This behaviour is then projected onto the kids.

 

Bipolar and Emotional Immaturity can produce many similar symptoms.

 

I think (for what whatever I think might be worth) that you are at least partly right. The education system in Thailand is dire and it doubtless teaches Thais exactly what they do not need to learn, while failing to teach them things they ought to learn. I regret to say that what others have said may well be true, Thais have been kept stupid and uneducated by design, and for the benefit of people whose names we all know.

 

Emotional immaturity is a very big problem in TL, and this is largely what I was referring to when I refer to "cultural factors". But it only a contributing factor. There are other, more severe restrictions that the Thai culture imposes. In fact, if you were to open a school and teach how to emotionally cripple a population in order to satisfy the venal desires of a very few people at the top of the pyramid, what would develop would closely resemble the Thai culture and population management that exists now.

 

It's a real problem and it hasn't even started to bite yet. But it will, inevitably, no way around it; it's already too far advanced to stop.

 

 

Just now, colinneil said:

So there are supposed to be 10 million with mental health problems.

Wonder what percentage of those running the country have mental health problems, i could certainly name a few.????

 

What you say is probably right. They learned how to teach badly because they themselves were taught badly. Sadly, by puberty, the process is largely irreversible. TL has a number of serious educational and child-rearing problems and IMHO, they largely stem from poor education and exploitation (thanks at least in part to the USA who wanted to regard TL as a permanent R&R convenience before and after they lost the self-inflicted Vietnam War).

 

Hey ho. Still, take solace from the likelihood, that however bad you think it is, the reality is probably worse. Humankind is still in it's infancy.

That's little scaring to realize that more than every 7th Thai have mental health problems; however, it might explain many of the postings about ex-wives in this forum...????

3 hours ago, Phuketshrew said:

A rather conservative estimate - Is this another Super Poll with 1,000 respondents?

Yes. And it apparently was conducted among patients at a psychiatric hospital.

Okay, okay, so let me try to get that straight: The good professor is saying that close to 20% of this country's population have a screw lose in one way or another?

 

Seems a lot.

 

But then again... maybe not, when you look at our politicians and officials and their often absurdly bizarre announcements, statements and schemes.

5 hours ago, webfact said:

A seminar to mark World Bipolar Day heard that 10 million Thais are suffering from mental health issues.

Wonder how many of those are men with fragile egos ?

whilst bipolars are common in my village, OCDs are equally common. 

5 hours ago, Bkk Brian said:

Primarily its a product of the poor education system here that produces emotionally immature adults who then go on to parent their children in the same way and the vicious circle continues.

 

Look how many teachers here tend to blow up or lose control of their emotions if things do not go their way. This behaviour is then projected onto the kids.

 

Bipolar and Emotional Immaturity can produce many similar symptoms.

This is probably the main reason for the fragile Thai male Ego that we all see so often displayed.