Hope Foundation hosts mental health and drug abuse seminar

The Hope Foundation is stressing the importance of dealing with those suffering from substance abuse or mental health issues in a productive manner. The Foundation is hosting a special seminar tomorrow (9 December) in West Bay. Visiting psychiatrist Dr Ali Ajaz says that mental illness has a bad stigma attached to it and only education can help curb that stigma. He said, “ It’s really important for when we are talking about mental health to understand what is within the normal kind of for human experience and what becomes an illness .” He said
the same often applies for drug abuse.” There is a similar sense when it comes to substance misuse that’s whats with in someone personal responsibility they decide to take a substance and what actually becomes problematic” said Dr Ajaz. Dr Ajaz is the featured speaker at a the Hope Foundation’s Substance Addict and Mental Health seminar and he said when dealing with issues of mental health and drug abuse blame is often cast on the patients even when they don’t notice their own changes in behaviour. He said, “Family members are usually the ones who are very well placed to be able to make that judgment purley because they know some one so well.” Dr Ajaz said the same also applies for drug abuse when someones behaviour changes and we are not use to it. “When people stop being their normal selves for what people have expected of them or being accustomed to someone behaving in a particualr way, when their is a change its other how usually notice a change in the behaviour,” he said. Dr Ajaz said the aim of the seminar is to help patients, family members and members of the community identify problems so they can better help those in need.The free seminar takes place tomorrow from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. at the West Bay Church of Christ on Batabano Road. It’s open to the public.