Ministry Warns: Missed Mental‑Health Signs Fuel Crises

In other health news, the Ministry of Health and Wellness says it’s not rising violence by people with mental illness that worries them, it’s how many are slipping through the cracks until a crisis hits. Officials remind Belizeans that people with mental health conditions are far more likely to be victims than offenders. Mental Health Coordinator Yveth Quintanilla says families and communities must act early, because the first warning signs, withdrawal, sleeplessness, sudden changes in eating, usually show up at home. The ministry closely follows known cases, but the real danger lies in the people no one notices until something goes wrong. Her message is simple: don’t wait for an emergency. Pay attention, speak up, and get help early because protecting mental health starts with the people closest to us.

 

Yveth Quintanilla, Mental health Coordinator, Ministry of Health and Wellness

“When these incidents happened, we take it very seriously. But we also want to highlight that these incidents are a minority. Often times we would see that when persons who suffer from a mental disorder, there’s a three to five percent of these incidents happening. Whereas when we compare them as them being victims, they’re ten times more likely to be victims rather than them perpetrating different incidences out there. So that three to five percent compared to the persons who are mentally well and committing the robberies, the murders, and all the other incidents that are happening there. It’s a very small minority, but we, as a ministry, we do take it seriously. For known cases, we actively follow them and we ensure that they receive the mental health services that they require. For the unknown cases now, I really want to ask the public to work with us: the families to be able to provide that support to their loved ones. The family are the first persons to notice any difference. For example, if the person is withdrawing, the person is not sleeping, they’re not eating like how they used to eat before or eating more than, then these are some of the first symptoms to indicate that, okay, something might be going on beyond what is normal. So don’t wait until things happen to come to our clinics. We want to catch it at the very beginning. And the family, the community is very important in identifying these things..”

 

And tonight, the ministry is urging families to spot those early warning signs and reach out for help before a loved one slips into crisis.”

 

Attention readers: This online newscast is a direct transcript of our evening television broadcast. When speakers use Kriol, we have carefully rendered their words using a standard spelling system.

 

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