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WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 30, 1981
MENTAL HEALTH PROMOTION
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AN EXHIBITION TO PROMOTE MENTAL HEALTH AMONG THE PUBLIC WILL BE MOUNTED BY THE MEDICAL AND HEALTH DEPARTMENT FROM FRIDAY (OCTOBER 2) AT CITY HALL.
CO-SPONSOR ING THE EXHIBITION ARE THE HONG KONG PSYCHIATRIC ASSOCIATION, THE MENTAL HEALTH ASSOCIATION AND THE NEW LIFE PSYCHIATRIC REHABILITATION ASSOCIATION.
A SPOKESMAN FOR THE DEPARTMENT SAID THAT THE EXHIBITION IS PART OF THE DEPARTMENT'S CAMPAIGN WHICH BEGAN IN JULY IN SUPPORT OF THE UNITED NATIONS INTERNATIONAL YEAR OF DISABLED PERSONS.
HE POINTED OUT THAT MENTAL HEALTH IS OF VITAL IMPORTANCE AS MORE AND MORE PEOPLE ARE FOUND TO BE PSYCHIATRICALLY ILL THROUGHOUT THE WORLD.
IN HONG KONG, ABOUT 25 000 PEOPLE ATTENDED GOVERNMENT PSYCHIATRIC OUT-PATIENT CLINICS LAST YEAR, A SIX-FOLD INCREASE OVER THE PAST 15 YEARS.
+THIS DRAMATIC INCREASE IS, TO A GREAT EXTENT, DUE TO THE GROWING AWARENESS OF MENTAL HEALTH, BETTER AVAILABILITY OF TREATMENT FACILITIES AND GREATER READINESS ON THE PART OF PATIENTS TO SEEK TREATMENT.+
THE EXHIBITION AIMS TO ILLUSTRATE, THROUGH AUDIO-VISUAL MATERIALS, THE CAUSES OF MENTAL ILLNESSES, THE AVAILABILITY OF TREATMENT FACILITIES AND REHABILITATION SERVICES FOR THE MENTALLY HANDICAPPED.
THE SPOKESMAN POINTED OUT THE COMMON MISCONCEPTION THAT MENTAL PATIENTS ARE STUPID, INERT OR VIOLENT AND THAT ISOLATION IS THE ONLY TREATMENT FOR THEM.
TO SIMPLIFY THE SUBJECT FOR THE PUBLIC, THE DISPLAYS AT THE EXHIBITION ARE IN THE FORM OF CARTOONS, PHOTOS, SLIDES AND VIDEO- SHOWS.
TECHNICAL APPARATUS TO TEST A PERSON'S PSYCHOLOGICAL AND MENTAL CONDITIONS WILL ALSO BE PUT UP AT THE EXHIBITION HALL.
TWO PAMPHLETS ENTITLED THE MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES IN HONG KONG+ AND DEALING WITH STRESS+ WILL BE DISTRIBUTED AT THE WEEK- LONG EXHIBITION FROM FRIDAY (OCTOBER 2) TO THE FOLLOWING THURSDAY (OCTOBER 8) BETWEEN 10 AM AND 6 PM DAILY,
NOTE TO EDITORS.
THE MENTAL HEALTH EXHIBITION WILL BE OPENED BY THE VICE- CHANCELLOR OF THE CHINESE UNIVERSITY OF HONG KONG, DR MA LIN AND THE DIRECTOR OF MEDICAL AND HEALTH SERVICES, DR K.L. THONG, AT 3 PM FRIDAY AT THE EXHIBITION HALL, CITY HALL, HONG KONG,
YOU ARE INVITED TO COVER THE EVENT.
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