16-08-13
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| Mental Health Expert, Sandra Kodima interacting with partcipants at the training session |
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| Peter Badimak, Exeutive Director, YARO (Basic Needs) |
Narration:
A Principal Community Psychiatrist in the Upper East Region, Peter
Akagwire, has warned that excessive
alcohol intake over a long period of time could lead to lead to brain
impairment. This is because regular heavy drinking interferes with some
essential components of the brain that are needed for good mental health. On
other hand high levels of alcohol could as well contribute to one’s feeling of
depression and anxiety and makes stress harder to deal with. Mr Akagwire made
the disclosure at a day’s training seminar on managing alcohol addiction for
community health nurses in Bolgatanga. Correspondent Isaac Asare has more for
Radio Ghana.
Report
The seminar organised by Basic Needs, a
health related NGO with support by the Upper East Regional Health Directorate
sought to provide remedies in addressing mental health effects on alcoholism.
It also forms part of Basic Need’s effort to bringing health closer to the
people by ensuring that community health workers have the necessary skill,
attitude and expertise to support mental health care at the community level. Mr
Akagwire, revealed alcohol intake in recent times has become part and parcel in
everyday Ghanaian life with majority of the youth sticking to the practice. He
said though it is generally use for enjoyment and other ceremonial activities,
its health, social and occupational effects cannot be glossed over as its
constant abuse are permanent and irreversible. He however cautioned the youth
to desist from the practice since chronic and long term abuse could increase
one’s risk of developing health problems including liver cirrhosis, diarrhoea, gastritis
as well as hypertension and stroke. He warned parents not to give their
children alcohol as they could easily become epileptic or mentally sick. During
a presentation, a facilitator with Basic Needs, Ms Sandra Kodimah, took
participants through the possible impact of alcoholism on the economy,
education and work. Touching on the effects of alcohol on pregnancy, Ms Kodima,
advised that heavy maternal alcohol use increases the risk of children
developing physical deformities, miscarriage, low birth rate, pre- term labour
and foetal spectrum disorders among other related problems. She however advised
women to stay off alcohol. She later took participants through good
communication skills and alcohol brief interventions as a way of influencing a
desirable change and attitude in alcohol addicts. Ms Kodimah, advised community
mental health professionals to demonstrate acceptance and genuineness by giving
alcohol addicts full care and attention without judging or evaluating them.
Moreover, effective alcohol addiction treatment should usually begin by
managing the most dangerous physical symptoms such as the effects of
withdrawal. Once these health problems are brought under control, the
psychological effects of alcoholism can be addressed. Speaking to Radio Ghana, the Executive
Director Basic Needs, Mr Peter Badimak,
said cursory observation by basic needs shows that an increasing number of people particularly
youth engage in alcohol sometimes excessively, thus making them dependant. The
turn of event, he noted, was critical as the nation stand the risk of losing
its human resource to alcohol. Interestingly, most health professionals do not
also appreciate the fact that they need to have certain attitudes and skills to
deal with people who come to them with signs of alcoholism in them, hence the
need for the training session. The interactive session he explained was to help them become
abreast with managing alcohol addiction issues and being able to help the
population in dealing with mental health associated with alcohol
END
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