Ini ialah hakikat, ini ialah kenyataan. Ke mana hala tuju pendidikan kita? Ke mana hala tuju anak-anak kita? Dalam Mesyuarat PIBG, perkara utama yang saya tekankan ialah kita mahu anak-anak kita menjadi anak yang soleh dan solehah, itu yang paling utama. Tapi sekarang yang utama ialah UPSR 5A, PMR 8A, SPM 10A. Maka inilah jadinya sekarang , generasi kita semua stres dan sakit mental dari pelajar sekolah rendah hinggalah ke guru.
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http://waghih.blogspot.com/2011/01/menteri-kita-hantar-ke-tak-anak-ke.htmlYOUNG AND 'MENTALLY' STRESSED OUT
More teens suffer from mental illness as high expectations weigh them down
Malay Mail January 25th, 2011
PETALING JAYA: Children as young as 12 are so stressed out from their studies they have to seek outside help for their mental problems.
They are also afraid to discuss their problems with parents or friends, The Malay Mail learned.
Statistics from volunteer help group Befrienders show how pressure to achieve results can affect the younger generation — of the 18,700 calls received last year, one in every 10 was from a person below the age of 20.
“We have received calls from children as young as 12. They usually call in with problems they are afraid to talk about with their parents or friends," said Befrienders chairman S. Gangadara.
He felt the education system was excessively result-oriented, causing children to lose sleep trying to perform well in examinations.
“The emphasis on results and how many As a child can achieve is inflicting a lot of pressure on them. We have received calls from teenagers who complain they are feeling depressed and having suicidal thoughts because they only achieved 4As in their PMR examination.”
This worrying trend reflects the 2006 results of the National Health and Morbidity Survey, conducted every 10 years, which found the number of children below 16 suffering from mental illness had risen from 13 per cent to 20.3 per cent.
Even Health Minister Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai is worried about the increasing number of youths suffering from stress and depression, among others.
“According to my ministry’s survey, the number of people seeking medical attention for mental health problems was 10.6 per cent in 1996 but this rose to 11.2 per cent, with 6.4 per cent having considered suicide, in 2006. We feel it is alarming a high number of those seeking treatment in 2006 were those aged between 16 and 19."
Many of the young sufferers prefer to solve the problem themselves, which prolonged their condition and enter a critical stage, said Asean Federation of Psychiatric and Mental Health president Prof Dr Mohammad Hussain Habil.
He felt one main cause of stress among youngsters was keeping up with their studies, what with the hours of tuition, music lessons and sports activities a student was subjected to.
Dr Mohammad Hussain, who is with University Malaya Medical Centre (UMMC), said many of his patients, aged 16 to 19, had problems with drugs, alcohol and sexual abuse.
He also cautioned mental illness was a condition that could affect anyone, regardless of age or whether they lived in urban or rural areas.
Genetic factors, biochemical imbalance, deterioration of brain cells, drug and alcohol abuse, and even injury could cause mental illness, but what usually preceded these “triggers” were emotional stress and difficulty in coping with conflicts.
“Often, it's because there is a lack of rational communication between the patient and the family members or friends."
Malaysian Mental Health Association president, Datin Dr Ang Kim Teng, said it was sad to see how students with so much potential suffered from mental illnesses like depression, due to the mental stress and pressure they were put through.
“The stress levels affect their performance and concentration. As a result, they perform badly in their exams or drop out of colleges. Their whole future is thus affected.”
Dr Ang, who said early detection was important, said the emotional stress on Malaysian teenagers had also caused many of them to turn to drugs and alcohol, which only worsened their plight.
One solution, Gangadara said, was for parents to be more understanding.
“Most parents are now too busy with work and they forget to allocate quality time with their children. This is why we believe a close relationship between parent and child is important to help address this growing problem.”
The Health Ministry is also taking action to address the problem, intensifying efforts to promote mental health and stress management among youths.
Liow said four secondary schools had been selected for a six-month pilot project on stress management from next month using a module prepared by the ministry. It would be extended to all schools next year.
Liow said the shortage of psychiatrists was worrying as there were only 124 qualified practitioners nationwide with a ratio of two clinical psychiatrists for every 115,000 people.
"This is below the ratio set by the World Health Organisation, that is one psychiatrist for every 50,000 people for developing countries. Therefore, we need to train more psychiatrists."
Early detection and treatment vital
ALTHOUGH mental illness is treatable, early detection is vital and patients must be willing to seek help from doctors and experts.
Malaysian Mental Health Association president Datin Dr Ang Kim Teng said it was important for the public, especially youths, to change their perception towards mental health.
“Mental illness is not an uncommon problem. We must know this. It is like any other common illness. And, like any other illness, we must seek treatment if we have mental health problems."
Dr Ang told The Malay Mail the stigma still surrounded mental health issues, a problem which today’s public would prefer to avoid being associated with.
“A lot of people today are ashamed of seeking help for mental health problems. Some are not willing to seek help and some will deny they have such problems.”
From the programmes conducted by her association, she realised just how difficult it was to reach out to youngsters.
“They don’t want to come to us. We have to literally drag them out to listen to us.
“We must know depression is a common form of illness and there's nothing strange about it. But depression, if left untreated, will lead to more problems like anxiety. These problems ought to be recognised and treated as early as possible.”
Symptoms of mental illness included depression, declines in mood level and self-esteem, and deteriorating performance in studies. But signs of mental illness are best detected by the patient themselves.
“Mental illness is not visible to outsiders. That’s why it is important to be conscious and aware of our own mental health wellbeing,” said Dr Ang.
Asean Federation of Psychiatric and Mental Health president, Prof Dr Mohammad Hussain Habil, said today’s medication was good enough to treat many mental illnesses. He said most patients referred to him had recovered.
But early detection, and realising one was suffering from some sort of mental illness, were important.
“Family members of patients must persuade them to seek treatment early.”
Schools also played an important role in helping to detect mental health issues among schoolchildren, and teachers should learn how to detect these problems.
Assoc Prof Dr Mariani Md Nor, a psychology counsellor from University Malaya Medical Centre (UMMC), said counselling sessions were used to evaluate the condition of one’s mental health.
“Through counselling sessions, I have conversations with patients and get them to tell me their problems. If their conditions are critical, they will be referred to a psychiatrist immediately,” said the child and adolescent development expert.
“If their conditions are not too serious, they will just have to attend counselling sessions. We will advise them how to solve their problems.”
Befrienders chairman S. Gangadara said it was also important for parents to spend quality time with their children.
Although parents had every right to expect their children to do well, especially in their studies, they must ensure their children did not lose out on their childhood.
"Give them the space to enjoy life as well so they don’t suffer from mental stress.”
To seek help from Befrienders, visit their website at www.befrienders.org.my or call their hotline at 03-79568145.
Why parents pressure their kids
SOME parents feel they have no choice but to put pressure on their children to excel.
“If there is no pressure on my children, I’m afraid they will lose focus and neglect their studies,” said a mother of two teenagers, aged 15 and 17, who only wished to be identified as Jenny, 45.
An engineer, she sends her two sons for tuition and piano lessons after school. Their schedules are tight throughout the week and they are only free on Sunday afternoons.
“I hope they can secure scholarships so they can further their studies overseas. That’s why I feel it’s important for them to study hard and score good grades.”
Lecturer Massila Hamzah, 47, stressed the importance of communication between her and her four children, aged eight to 18.
“I taught them not to keep any secrets no matter what the situation is. To understand my children, I try to speak their language and always put myself at their level. I try to be their sister or their friend, too.
“Children nowadays don’t like to be pressured, so I give them a certain amount of freedom. At the same time, I monitor them and give them advice when needed. But the most important thing is communication.”
http://www.mmail.com.my/content/61851-young-and-mentally-stressed-out 
