Awareness can help ensure social peace in society: Psychologist

QALA-I-NAW (Pajhwok): A psychologist in northwestern Badghis province blames differences and violence in society on mental stress and four decades of conflict in the country, saying social peace is attainable when awareness programs are launched on the regard.

In an exclusive interview with Pajhwok Afghan News, Dr. Mohammad Anwar, a psychologist at the Addicts Rehabilitation Center in Qala-i-Naw, capital of Badghis province, said that the four decades of war in the country haad affected people’s mental health as some people got issues of impatience and emotional that led to violence and major disputes in families and society.

He said research conducted in countries affected by conflicts shows that people in such countries after war suffered from mental issues and family and social violence.

He says most of his work is psychological advising, and that a large number of mentally ill people visit him daily. War, insecurity, economic and psychological issues are the main factors that affected people’s mental health, he said.

Dr. Anwar says the mentally ill people have negative thoughts, they are impatient, loathly negligent about society, resulting in disputes between family members, between families, ethnicities and villages which disrupt social peace.

“If the cause of this violence and dispute is investigated, we will find that a number of people involved are suffering from psychological problems,” he added.

“Many patients who visit me severely suffer from mental issues due to serious violence, some of them even suffer from madness and some others are addicted to drugs,” he said.

“Violence, whether domestic, ethnic or psychological, has dire consequences. Sometimes violence leads to self-immolation and suicide. Children suffer the most, and I, as a doctor, treat people of all ages,” Anwar said.

He said that launching psychotherapy and public awareness programs about the consequences of violence could help eliminate social violence.

“People should be encouraged to practice peace and tolerance towards each other and avoid violent acts and behaviors, because the only cause of social and family disputes is impatience and intolerance towards each other,” he said.

He said that mosques, TV channels, radio stations and print media were helpful in spreading public awareness.

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