Specialist discusses mental health issues in Armenia

Armenia is doing everything to help mentally ill people cope with their condition, psychotherapist Harutyun Minasyan said at a press conference dedicated to World Mental Health Day.

According to the specialist, unlike in Europe, in our country there has never been violence and pressure against mentally ill people.

In Armenia, the number of people having neurosis is increasing, the expert said. However, he noted, neuroses are less dangerous for society than psychoses.

The aim of the World Mental Health Day is to change attitude towards people with mental disorders and raise awareness about mental health issues, Minasyan said.

The specialist stressed that everything should be done to eliminate the label of mental illness.

Mental disorders affect nearly 12 percent of the world’s population – about 450 million or one out of every four people around the world – will experience a mental illness that would benefit from diagnosis and treatment.