Ensure mental health patients take medication on time - Psychiatrist

Families of mental health patients must ensure they take the correct dosage of medication on time to prevent them from acting out of control.

Universiti Malaya Specialist Centre psychiatrist, Associate Prof Dr Muhammad Muhsin Ahmad Zahari said most of the patients in the country adhered to follow-ups with doctors but did not take their medication as prescribed.

"They need to take the medication as instructed by the doctors, according to its type, quantity and time," he told Bernama in a recent interview.

However, Dr Muhammad said the main issue here was when the families did not monitor and supervise the medication intake of the affected members.

"Bear in mind that when they (patients) have stopped taking the medication, the effect is not immediate but it can be seen in the long run. They will start acting aggressively such as injuring or even killing someone," he said.

Dr Muhammad was commenting on several tragic incidents involving injuries and deaths of family members of mental health patients recently.

On Sunday, a mentally-ill man ran amok had allegedly killed his aunt and paralysed younger brother at Kampung Lanai in Kupang, Baling near here.

In August, a woman was beheaded, allegedly by her mentally-ill grandson at Felda Penggeli Timur in Kota Tinggi, Johor.

Two months earlier, a three-year-old girl in Kampung Tengah, Kodiang near here was allegedly slashed by her father who suffered from severe depression.

Dr Muhammad advised families members not to take it upon themselves to confine patients in the house, instead of taking them to see the doctor.

"In fact, there are those who take the patients to see the 'bomoh' for alternative treatment as they believe their family members could be possessed," he said.

He urged those who noticed signs such as change in behaviour or severe depression in family members to seek medical help for their loved ones. -- Bernama