IPKJI conference highlights many mentally ill teenagers

Banjarmasin, South Kalimantan (AntaranewsKalsel) - The 14th Conference of the Indonesian Association of Mental Health Nurses (IPKJI) in Banjarmasin, 28-30 September, highlighted many mentally ill teenagers.

The Central Board Chairwoman of IPKJI Tjahyanti Kristyaningsih here on Thursday said many teenagers who suffered mental illness because of drug abuse.

IPKJI at this year's conference raised the theme of building community-based tough teenagers against drugs. By building awareness of the dangers of drugs through the family will greatly fortify the generation from psychiatric illness.

"We realize the drug case in our country is increasingly alarming that it must be curbed, because of the danger to the mental health of the misuse," she said.

Tjahyanti stated IPKJI will try to take care of this problem with socialization to the community through mental health nurses.

"Our organization's branches already exist all over Indonesia, so with the broader role of mental health nurses participate in socializing the dangers of this drug can reduce people affected by mental illness," she said.

At the annual conference in Banjarmasin about 300 participants from 27 provinces in attendance. This activity is important for harmonizing profession in handling and overcoming mental illness.

"Our task is very heavy in handling this psychiatric illness, but behind it is very noble if done with all heart and affection," said Tjahyanti.

Director of Sambang Lihum Mental Hospital (South Kalimantan) I Gde Darma Putera said there are more than 300 patients at present, about 105 of them due to drug abuse.

"This is very worrying, especially our area is found as big-scale drug abuse cases," he said.

According to him, the momentum of this conference very well raised the problem of drug abuse because many of these problems are among teenagers.