Mental health and Psychology in Bangladesh Context

How our brains interpret conversation, behaviour, body language has a surprisingly big influence on the mind. Psychology, an insight that is leading to new ways to tackle mental conditions. Psychology is the scientific study or human behavior and mental processes. It seeks after an individual's mental health by explaining why an individual behaves in a certain way.

A psychologist and a psychiatrist are not the same. A psychologist applies the scientific knowledge and principles of psychology in a professional role to the alleviation of human suffering and to the improvement of the quality of life. Whereas, a psychiatrist make extensive use of a variety of psychotropic drugs in treating mental illness.

As the days go by in Bangladesh, the demand for psychology practice and its application is increasing as well as its various crises. The development of psychology in Bangladesh is like glory and happiness, but understanding all the situations that can be identified as crises, that is, being aware of the existing crisis and accepting that the crisis is the reality of the present, we have to start thinking from there, we have to start solving the crisis. Thinking of finding ways to pass.

Tradition of academic psychology in Bangladesh is of more than six decades, but the organization of professional education, training and practice of various fields is quite recent.Since the establishment of Dhaka University on July 1, 1921, when Dhaka University started its journey as the first government university in the region, since then, psychology has been practiced within the syllabus included in the philosophy department. Philosophers' major practice is 'Philosophy of Mind'. But psychology within the philosophy department of Dhaka University, practice was not limited to the philosophy of mind, but the practice of psychology began in the philosophy department, and the psychological laboratory was established within the philosophy department. Later the Master's course in Psychology was introduced by the Department of Philosophy when the Department of Philosophy was renamed the Department of Philosophy and Psychology. Subsequently, psychology practice from the Department of Philosophy to the newly established Psychology Department of Dhaka University, where first the Master's course in Psychology was introduced and later the Bachelor (BA/BSc) Honors course in Psychology was introduced. The role of Rajshahi University in the history of psychology practice in Bangladesh is also full of glory; Because in this Rajshahi University, since 1956, psychology department was started, psychology practice was started. Subsequently, talented students with graduate and post-graduate degrees from Rajshahi University joined the Psychology Department of Dhaka University to increase its strength. Similarly, the practice of psychology has spread in Bangladesh today in various colleges and various government universities and some practices have started in private universities, which is likely to increase in the future. This is the beginning of the practice of psychology in Bangladesh.

Mental problems in general Bengali are understood by almost everyone as 'madness', psychologists and psychiatrists mean 'mad doctors', and the most popular taboo is that all psychologists and psychiatrists are more or less insane...I have seen people telling, 'There is no treatment for mental illness. Crazy doctors will make you sleep with medicine'. Again, some people don't understand that someone can have mental health issues or illness and simply think they are acting and they can easily stop being mentally unstable or ill.

Here is a video by Antik Mahmud from his Youtube channel- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zSzEl6E_i1E . I hope it will lighten your mind.

There are various types of mental problems an individual can have. But the most common mental problems of the younger generation dealt with by psychologists and psychiatrists are anxiety, depression, panic disorders, insomnia, stress, suicidal tendencies, lack of interest in studies,  addictive disorders, smoking, gambling, somatoform disorders, eating disorders, schizophrenia, disorders of childhood and adolescence, marital conflict, etc. Moreover, assessment has been the most crucial part of the phycologist's, mental health is such a vague matter. After seeing this many mental problems I happen to wonder how society remains peaceful when everyone has a certain level of mental trouble.

Well, seeing this grave situation, to ease students' mental pressure, most educational institutions provide consultation. Brac University also did not fall behind. They have a group of a very experienced psychologist. So, students of Brac University, take notes and go to them if you need them. Back to the topic, the number of government and non-government organizations giving mental health consultations is still growing. They are trying their best by airing Television shows on this topic, publishing books and distributing leaflets to reach needy people and raise awareness. Some apps like 'Mindy' and 'Pacify'  has been developed where one can anonymously ask for help and he or she will be assigned to a psychologist, the process is free of cost.

Here is a link to one of the best consultation places in case you need it-Nasirullah Psychotherapy Unit NPU

The UK, an average country with about 70 million people only, employs about ten thousand clinical psychologists in its National Health Service. Living in Bangladesh is increasingly becoming more complex predisposing people to severe stress and strain. Ignorance and superstition add to the problems. Renowned physicians of Bangladesh report that about 40% of the patients who seek medical help actually have psychological problems and they need psychological treatment. So, in addition to the rising number of mentally ill people in the country a considerable percentage of population needs psychological care. Bangladesh needs several thousand psychologists so that this country can become a happy, prosperous, livable, development and peaceful safe country through the actual practice of psychology and its application.