Mental illness on the rise in Brunei, says health minister

BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN, March 19 (Borneo Bulletin/ANN): Mental illness is on the rise in the Sultanate with anxiety disorder cases rising from 1,515 in 2021 to 1,637 in 2022 and depression and bipolar disorder showing a similar trend, Minister of Health Dato Seri Setia Dr Mohd Isham Jaafar said.

The data is based on patients who have sought treatment at health centres thus it is likely that there are more people with mental illness yet to receive medical attention due to stigma, he said.