7 News Belize

Anxiety Is An Emergency Too
posted (July 4, 2014)
On Wednesday morning, police fished the body of 22 year old Andrea Bernard out of the Belize River under the Bel China Bridge. A post mortem examination has concluded that the young woman drowned; there was no foul play and she showed no signs of physical trauma. Her family says it may have been suicide because she had threatened to take her own life before - and yes, even to drown herself. And that's because Andrea Bernard suffered greatly with mental illness. We don't have a psychiatric diagnosis, but her family says she had anxiety, which can be a crippling disorder.

And on Tuesday night - her mother took her to the hospital to get something to calm her nerves - but after two hours of waiting in the emergency room, Andrea couldn't take it anymore and she bolted, never to be seen again alive by her family.

The KHMH has sent out a typically self-absolving press release, saying, quote, "The KHMH does not have a Psychiatric Service and…only manages acute psychiatric emergencies.."

Well, according to her family, they surely didn't manage Andrea Bernard's case promptly enough - and that may have led to her death. But, in any emergency room, the mentally generally do not get the priority treatment afforded to those with bodily injuries. Today we discussed the issue with Eleanor Bennett, the Nursing Administrator for Mental Health:

Eleanor Bennett, Nursing Administrator - Mental Health
"We have heard in the media that this young lady had an anxiety disorder. Some of the symptoms probably for somebody who is in an acute anxiety state would be very agitated, would be pacing up and down. I don't know if this was the situation in this case and it's sometimes it's difficult for families to manage and that's why I can imagine that they would seek the services of people who can probably help them because it's very difficult to watch your family member in this state and not being able to help. Thisis something that when someone is in this case the treatment of choice would be chemical to calm them down. For this reason it is important that everyone who is experiencing acute symptoms go to an emergency room. If there is psychiatric emergency in the middle of the night, that person can be taken to the emergency room at the Karl Heusner Hospital. What they do, they triad stabilize and then they refer if needed."

Jules Vasquez
"Perhaps on the triad side the person may not show any outward physical symptoms, but inside they are churning. How do we change that culture in the healthcare system of not seeing mentally ill persons as acutely and urgently ill?"

Eleanor Bennett
"What you say it's rightly so. We have a challenge with stigma. I do know when it comes to triad Karl Heusner has a level system and in deed certain conditions will take priority over others, but it is through education, it is through working with the health professionals through having them have contact with people with mental illness that we get to address this situation."

Andrea Bernard's funeral will be held on Monday.

And while the KHMH emergency room is the place for emergencies, it won't be that tomorrow. And that's because the "A and E" is undergoing major repairs to flush its piping systems. So, the hospital is advising that for Saturday only all non-urgent cases, such as coughs, colds and headaches should seek treatment at the public health clinics, which are open from 9:00 am to 3:00 pm.

The KHMH will still be seeing all major trauma cases.

Operations will return to normal on Sunday.

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