Mental Illness In Students

Press, Volume CIV, Issue 30709, 26 March 1965, Page 3

Mental Illness In Students

(New Zealand Press Association) INVERCARGILL, March 25. Surveys had shown that 10 per cent of New Zealand’s primary school children were sufficiently mentally disturbed to require treatment and 13 per cent of the country’s university students showed crippling symptoms of psychological illness, Professor W. Ironside, of the Department of Psychological Medicine at the University of Otago, told the Southland Association for Mental Health in Invercargill tonight.

He said another 12 per cent of university students showed symptoms of psychological imbalance from time to time.

These figures, plus the fact that there were 10,000 persons in mental institutions in New Zealand, provided proof that there was a challenge in psychological illness in New Zealand.

“The urgency of the problem is seen in the suicide figures,” said Professor Ironside. “In 1960, 230 persons killed themselves and 379 tried to. These are minimum figures, since suicides and

suicide attempts are concealed if possible.” The surprising thing, he said, was that any other health problem of this size would be tackled urgently. But mental health, a most necessary part of total health, did not attract attention. The standard of mental hospital accommodation was high and the beds available enough. But day hospitals, outpatient clinics and child psychiatric services were “quite inadequate.” “The trouble lies in the grave shortage of psychiatrists, clinical psychologists and psychiatric social workers.

“A population the size of New Zealand’s should have about 260 psychiatrists staffing general and mental hospitals, outpatients clinics and in private practice. But we have less than 50 psychiatrists, and the shortage of the other professional staff mentioned is even more striking. “It is becoming imperative that we must massively increase training facilities.

Many are attracted to mental health work these days and recruitment would not be difficult if incentives were offered.

“Legislative reform is badly needed. Those who have been in mental hospitals are subjected to silly restrictions that serve no useful purpose. Seeking and having treatment for any mental illness should be as easy and informal as for any other kind of disease.

“The political party which adopts as part of its platform an answer to the challenge of psychological illness will undoubtedly attract the support of the community.

“Thousands of New Zealanders have benefited from psychiatric treatment and there are many more who could be helped if the right facilities were provided. “Psychological illness is a great burden to countless numbers and consequently to all society. It is time mental health took its rightful place in the nation’s concern.”