Thousands of communities in Bangkok will be mobilised to help the Department of Mental Health raise awareness about bipolar disorder, depression and other areas of concern as national surveys show more than one in 10 residents need assistance. The policy was formulated after the Ministry of Public Health's five-year national survey on mental health in 2013 confirmed a number of worrisome trends. It showed that 11.5% of Bangkok residents aged over 18 (520,000 people) experience mental health problems including bipolar disorder at some point in their lives. Each will be given eight weeks to improve their skills in assisting those with mental health problems. The city's elderly population now stands at around 900,000, accounting for 18% of all Bangkok residents.

Source: Bangkok Post May 09, 2018 23:15 UTC