HMC to Hold Lecture on Mental Illness

Doha, January 22 (QNA) - Hamad Medical Corporation's Psychiatry Department will probe schizophrenia, a mental disorder that causes a breakdown in the relation between thought, emotion and behaviour, at an Open Day lecture to be held here January 25. The speakers will discuss the causes, symptoms and treatment options available for schizophrenia. The presentation will be conducted in Arabic and English by HMC s Psychiatry Department Consultant Dr Hind Rifai and Rumailah Hospital Nursing/Psychiatry Charge Nurse Wamda Eldrdiry. The Open Days aim to provide education on various aspects of mental illness and mental health, as well as services offered by the department. Schizophrenia is a chronic brain disorder that affects a large cross-section of any population. The prevalence of schizophrenia is thought to be about one percent of the population around the world and is more common than diabetes. The disorder is considered to be one of the top ten causes of long-term disability worldwide, the HMC said in a media release Sunday. Active symptoms can include delusions, hallucinations, trouble with thinking and concentration, and lack of motivation. Although there is no cure for the condition, proper treatment of the symptoms can help many of those diagnosed to greatly improve over time. Although exact causes are not fully known, researchers believe that a number of biological and environmental factors play a role in the disease s onset and course. There are numerous misconceptions about the disease, and many with less severe symptoms can live with their families or in group homes, or even on their own. This lecture will help to shed more light on the condition. The open discussion will take place from 5 pm to 7 pm at HMC's Psychiatry Department, located next to The Center and Mega Mart, and the Kahramaa office on Ibn Sina Street. The Psychiatry Department holds Open Days once a month throughout the year - except for the summer breaks from July to September. (QNA)