مركز دراسات المجتمع العراقي
IRAQI SOCIETY STUDIES CENTER
ISSC
فكرة تأسيس مشروع (مركز
دراسات
المجتمع العراقي)
المقترحات الاولية لمشروع(مركز دراسات المجتمع العراقي)
أ.د.قاسم حسين صالح
رئيس الجمعية النفسية العراقية
في المدّة بين 21-24 /4 / 2008 عقد في أربيل المؤتمر الرابع للصحة النفسية في العراق ( Psychiatry Training ) حضره السيدان وزير الصحة في الحكومة العراقية الدكتور صالح الحسناوي ووزير الصحة في حكومة أقليم كوردستان الدكتور زريان عثمان ،وعدد من الأطباء النفسيين العراقيين من داخل العراق وخارجه ، وخبراء في الطب النفسي من المملكة المتحدة وأمريكا . وكان من أهداف هذا المؤتمر تدريب نخبة من الاختصاصيين في الصحة النفسية ليتسنى لهم بدورهم تدريب العاملين في مجال الصحة النفسية على مستوى العراق ، واقامة شبكة معلوماتية تمكّن الاختصاصيين في الصحة النفسية من الاتصال ببعضهم على المستوى العالمي. وقد طالبنا في ورقتنا المقدمة الى المؤتمر ( المرفقة في ملف ) أن يكون للسيكولوجيين العراقيين دور فاعل في برامج خدمات الصحة النفسية.ولقد نجحنا في تثبيت توصية تقضي بتوظيف (200) من حملة البكلوريوس من خريجي أقسام علم النفس حصريا على ملاك وزارة الصحة وهي الآن قيد الاجراء.
المرفقات /
الورقة المقدمة للمؤتمر
THE ROLE OF IRAQI PSYCHOLOGISTS IN MEANTAL HEALTH
WITH FOCUS ON PSYCHOTHERAPY
Prof.Dr. Qassim Hussein Salih
Salahidden University
Head of Iraqi Psychological Association
Erbil Conference 21-24 April 2008
Ladies and Gentlemen
Salam and good morning
I want to thank the organizing committee for this successful event which gathered experts from inside and outside Iraq.
Our paper is concerning the role of Iraqi Psychologists in mental health care delivery system.
It is worthy to mention that the first Psychology department in Iraq was established in 1970 at college of Arts (founded in 1949), Baghdad University. But before that there was Educational and Psychological Department established in 1967 at College of Arts – Almustansrya University.
Now we have the following:
· Four Psychology Departments.
· Sixteen Educational and Psychological Scinces Departments.
· Four Educational and Psychological Counseling Departments.
· Three Psychological and Educational Research Centers.(Psychological Research Center-Baghdad University was established in 1987 concerned with psychological issues including research and studies in clinical psychology and psychiatry).
Higher studies in Psychology or Education and Psychology started in Iraqi Universities at the mid of 1970s.
Now there are more than five hundreds hold Ph.D or Master of Psychology or Education and Psychology, and thousands graduates (B.A.) from both departments. Unlike graduates of Educational and Psychological Scinces Departments, who work at schools, belong to Ministry of Education; most graduates from Psychology Departments are without job.
In this respect, we recommend to employ some of them to carry out surveys or collecting and analyzing data in the field of mental health through out Iraq especially members of our organization –Iraqi Psychological Association.
As we all know, Psychology is the scientific study of behavior and mental process. One of applied areas of modern Psychology is: health Psychology, which specialists in this field focus on the ways in which pressures, conflicts, hardships, and other factors contribute to poor health. There is also clinical and counseling Psychology which specialists in this field help people with personal problems and assessment (giving tests) in addition to
behavior and Psychological disorders like anxiety, depression, delinquency, and drug abuse.
We (Psychiatrists, Psychologists, and social workers) have different experiences and perspectives, but we can but them together for the sake of Iraqi people. We only develop ourselves and advance through healthy scientific dialogue and sharing different points of views.
We know that there are essential differences between Psychologists and Psychiatrists. But also there are many similarities between them. Because of their medical training, Psychiatrists are licensed to prescribe drugs and use other medical treatments. The specialty within Psychology that is most similar to Psychiatry is clinical Psychology. But clinical Psychologists do not prescribe drugs or other medical treatments because they do not have medical training. The debate is currently going on among Psychologists on a proposal to provide with enough additional training to allow them to prescribe Psychiatric medication.
Speaking frankly. There is bitter fact concerning the relationship between Iraqis Psychiatrists and Psychologists. Psychiatrists look to Psychologists through a small eye. They consider them as they are not qualified for mental health services even that who did his dissertation of the Ph.D. in the field of Psychological disorders, or creating a new program in cognitive or behavioral counseling. (The more funny: Psychiatrist is one of his supervisors!).
What we need now is to bridge the gap between them and starting a new page of constructive cooperation in order to rebuilding of the Iraqi mental health system.
I consider mental health as a man with two arms; Psychiatrists represent the right arm and Psychologists represent the left arm. They should work together in order to have a good and functional health system, fit to the needs of Iraqi people; otherwise efforts will continue to be fragmented.
We know that the catastrophic consequences of trauma are seen at all levels of Iraqi society today, but internally displaced Iraqis are suffuring high degree of trauma symptoms, depression, anxiety, living in constant fear and war situations which they need cognitive therapy and Psychological counseling more than medical therapy.
I think Psychologists can do well in this respect, cooperating with Psychiatrists especially in using psychotherapy.
Psychologists consider psychotherapy as a form therapy in which a trained professional uses method based on Psychological theories to help a person with Psychological problems and improve his adjustment.
The main approaches to Psychotherapy are: Psychodynamic, humanistic, behavioral, cognitive, and group.
Psychodynamic approaches emphasize unconscious, extensive interpretation by the therapist, and the role of experiences in early childhood.
Humanistic approaches emphasize self –understanding, personal growth, and conscious thought, help clients become aware of their real selves and solve their problems with minimum of intervention by the therapist.
Behavior approaches emphasize principles of learning to reduce or eliminate maladaptive behavior.
Cognitive approaches emphasize that the individuals cognitive or thoughts are the main source of abnormal behavior and mood , attempt to change the persons feeling and behaviors by changing cognitions ,replace irrational interpretations of events with more realistic ones.
Group approaches emphasize solving people’s mental problems through experiences in a group rather than an individual therapy sessions, focus on interpersonal relationships.
We add here spiritual treatment based on religious and cultural beliefs using programs seek to integrate people with families’ problems or psychological disorders back into the community.
Psychotherapy in general is effective. Behavior therapies are often most successful in treating specific behavior problems (phobias, for example). Cognitive therapy is often effective in treating depression and anxiety. Factors common to the various psychotherapies – a warm and trustful interpersonal relationship, reassurance and support, insight, and reinforcement of adaptive response –may be more important in producing positive change than the specific therapeutic methods used.
There is a lot of work to be done, dealing with devastating effects of trauma, psychological crisis, addiction, violence, psycho-social problems ,especially concerning displacement inside Iraq .The mission is too hard to be done by psychiatrists alone.
Iraqi psychologists should be an active partner to achieve this human mission especially in cognitive and humanistic psychotherapy approaches, and individual and group counseling. You can not change beliefs and cognitions by drugs but through dialogue, and there are good psychologists to do this job. But, as I said before some of us do need special course or training program.
For the time being I propose to establish a center of mental health in Erbil to treat the psychiatric and psychological problems that have emerged from the wars in Iraq over the last 28 years. If it is successful then we can have other centers in Baghdad, Basra, and Mogul. (The board of the Center should be Psychiatrists and Psychologists).
Finally.
From my experience, most conferences end with good recommendations, but no action. I hope this conference put the final recommendations into action, and find its way from Erbil to Baghdad.
Thank you