The Present Situation of Mental Health in Bangladesh

The current state of mental health in Bangladesh has been portrayed. Whatever the situation in the past, it is improving a lot now.

Mental Health in Bangladesh

Mental health is a new issue in Bangladesh,

but its activities have recently increased. 

Mental health  in Bangladesh was first used as a strategy to alleviate the Psychological distress of people in cyclone-hit areas. 

But now its use has increased a lot. Non-governmental organizations, in particular, have begun to use disadvantaged children, women and other traumatized individuals as a means of providing psychological service. 

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However, at present various governmental and non-governmental organizations are providing mental health services in Bangladesh.

 A significant change in mental health in Bangladesh is the inclusion of mental health care courses in university curricula. 

Universities including Dhaka university, Chittagong University, Rajshahi University and National University have included various courses in mental health services.

Since 2010, non-governmental organizations have started training and practicing mental health services. As a result, a type of para-counselor is being developed that is having an impact on mental health services. 

The use of mental health services in Bangladesh has aroused a lot of response among the general public.

They are going to  the councilors voluntarily for services with various mental problems and the popularity has increased in this regard. 

Currently using a variety of intervention strategies to serve a particular type of population.

The areas of mental health in Bangladesh are discussed below:

Public and private hospital: Although the use of mental health services has not started in public and private hospitals in Bangladesh, some hospitals have started applying counseling to provide mental health services to the patients. 

For example, the counselors of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University, National Institute of Mental Health, Dhaka Children's Hospital, Community Hospital etc.are providing services to the patients.

 Counselors are working with doctors and psychiatrists as well as in hospitals to provide the necessary services to adapt to the potential risks to patients' lives, in which case they are playing an important role in rehabilitating patients.

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Rehabilitation Centers: In the field of mental health in Bangladesh, Rehabilitation Centers are working to address the mental health problems of children, women and the elderly with disabilities, drug addicts and emotional problems. 

In this case, mental health care in Bangladesh is working on the importance of changing the behavior of the individual, development of self-esteem, dependence, ability and adaptation. 

Most of the rehabilitation centers in Bangladesh are being run by non-governmental organizations. For example, the Center for Rehabilitation for the Paralyzed, a non-governmental organization, provides counseling or mental health services to patients with spinal cord injury. 

Women's Advocacy, Law and Arbitration Center is providing counseling services for the mental health development of distressed women, non-governmental organization Incidin Bangladesh. 

The Bangladesh National Association of Women Lawyers is providing counseling services as one of the rehabilitation services strategies for adapting sexually abused and exploited children to trafficking and bringing them back into the mainstream of society. 

There has also been a widespread response among counselors, governmental and non-governmental organizations, officials and employees to improve the monthly health of children and women. 

As a result ,employment opportunities have been created in various organizations to ensure mental health care and its acceptance as a profession is gradually increasing.

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Drug addiction treatment centres: The number of drug addiction treatment centers in the country has increased at a significant rate.

 Counseling services are being provided in these centers to increase the mental health and morale of drug addicts. 

In addition to group counseling, personal and family counseling services are being provided to ensure mental health care. So that they can quickly get rid of drug dependence.

 In this case, non-governmental organizations such as Apan, Kriya, Mukti etc. are playing a significant role.

HIV and AIDS Prevention Program: An important function of the HIV and AIDS Prevention Program in Bangladesh is to ensure the mental health of the patients. 

Counselors are providing services to people who are HIV-positive to boost their morale through counseling services. 

In addition, pre- and post-HIV counseling services are provided to people who go to test centers for HIV testing. 

Various non-governmental organizations such as ICDDRB, Ashar Alo Society, Confidential Approach for HIV and AIDS Prevention, Payakat Bangladesh etc. are providing such services.

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Private Practice: Recently, a small number of counselors have been doing private practice to help the general public solve their mental problems. 

As a result of private practice, mental health care is a profession that is reaching out to the general public in Bangladesh.

 Although counseling is a new profession of mental health care in Bangladesh, its spread is growing rapidly. 

Various non-governmental organizations are taking counseling as an important part of their programs. 

There is a growing awareness among the disadvantaged children, women and vulnerable groups as well as the general public that counseling is a supportive profession and they are seeking mental health care from counselors to solve their problems. 

Educational Institutions: The educational institutions of the country have started providing counseling services to the students to alleviate the mental health problems to a limited extent. 

Counseling services have been started in various private schools, colleges and universities as well as public universities to alleviate the psychological problems of students. For example, the Student-Teacher Guidance Department of Dhaka University, where regular counseling services are being provided to the students of the university to overcome their mental health problems. 

Counseling services have been provided in Scholastica schools and colleges to alleviate the mental problems of the students and as a result there has been a wide response among the students about counseling.

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One Stop Crisis Centers: Victim Support Centers have been opened in government hospitals in different divisional cities of Bangladesh under the One Stop Crisis Centers and Police Reform Project. 

Counseling services are provided in the centers to alleviate the mental problems of the troubled children and women.

 In particular, children and women who are in conflict with the law are brought under such services. 

Along with legal services, mental health services are also playing an important role in alleviating the psychological problems of the victims. And such programs can be considered as a milestone in the development of mental health services in Bangladesh.

 Because in this case mental health services are being provided in these centers as a result of joint initiative of government and private.

In conclusion, it can be said that mental health services in Bangladesh have improved considerably and this success will increase further going forward. 

Awareness about mental health has increased among the general public.