Santo Domingo.-“Deficit” is the key word that, for behavioral professionals, defines the current state of mental health in the country, due to the difficulty of access, lack of investment, as well as the need for more experts and crisis intervention units (CUI).
In detail, the former president of the Dominican Society of Psychiatry, writer and former director of the Padre Billini Psychiatric Hospital, José Miguel Gómez, indicated that for more than 20 years there has been no investment in mental health, since today the budget allocated to that area is less than 1%, when it should be 2%.
Added to this is the lack of more than 200 beds to meet the demand for care at the national level, more than 300 psychiatrists, long-term units for patients who wander the streets, schizophrenics, bipolar patients and dementia; in addition to a shortage of services for children and adolescents, who make up 22% of the population.
Participating in the Corripio Communications Group’s Weekly Lunch, the president of the Dominican College of Psychologists (Codopsi), Yanis Mejía, agreed on the lack of staff, with few hired by the State and, in the private sector, her colleagues are dedicated to the therapeutic area.
José Ortiz, Secretary of Scientific Dissemination at Codopsi, stressed that there are 467 clinical psychologists for the entire population, that is, less than one for every 100,000 inhabitants.
To all of the above, experts added the problem of increasing family dysfunction, divorces, psychosocial problems and teenage pregnancies; a society under macro-stress in transportation, insecurity, violence and others.
Evils that affect
According to Gómez, the main reason for consultation with psychiatrists and psychologists is depression, followed by anxiety disorders, sleep disorders, personality disorders, affective or emotional disorders, and also bipolar disorder and psychosis.
Also, alcoholism, drug abuse, marital problems, couple and family conflicts and behavioral disorders.
He stressed that the third demand for hospital beds at the private and public level is represented by the abuse and consumption of alcohol and drugs, which has tripled in the country, especially among young people, while until now there are no detoxification and psychosocial rehabilitation units.
70% of those seeking help are women, as they express their feelings more, explained Gómez. In fact, suicidal ideation is three times more common in women, while suicide is three times more common in men, as the latter use more forceful methods to do so.
More than 40,000 per month
Both Mejía and Gómez criticized the fact that mental problems continue to be excluded from coverage by health risk administrators (ARS), when maintaining treatment for certain patients represents a high cost for families.
“We are talking about a patient with bipolar disorder, schizophrenia or depression, who has a cost of more than 40,000 pesos per month per medication, without a consultation. And if we can talk about dementia, a family that has a patient with Alzheimer’s, who has to use three or four medications, we are talking about more than 50,000 pesos,” said Gómez.
Mejía explained that there are insurance policies that cover the first and second consultation, however, two interventions cannot be carried out with a mental disorder, so the family economy is often affected.
In this regard, Ortiz stated that the costs of private psychiatric and psychological consultations range between RD$3,500 and RD$6,000, while clarifying that in the case of hospitals that offer these services, the care is free.
Change perception
On the other hand, Mejía said that the perception that visiting a psychologist or psychiatrist is because you are crazy has changed, since people now recognize their emotions and know when they need help.
To clarify what mental health is, Gomez said that it includes social well-being, that is, the emotional, physical, psychological, spiritual and social state that a human being should have. It also measures happiness, social stability and is linked to the economy.
For prevention, they specified that campaigns on the subject be activated and a reference system be created so that people know where to go.
It is worth noting that the issue of mental health came to light due to recent events, which could have been avoided with timely support.
Journalist Luis Rojas highlighted the responsibility of the media in reporting violent events.
Scarlett Batista, from Codopsi, recommended self-evaluating how one feels before requesting the intervention.
Parenting model
In the case of child rearing, professionals pointed out that abuse is a cultural problem, but it must be disciplined with love.
Gomez called on parents to monitor their children’s use of devices.
Codopsi Consulting
— Public policies
Codopsi, whose essential function is to advise the State on public policies, is developing with the Ministry of Health a program of psychosocial intervention in communities and awareness of warning signs.
