Wednesday, February 29, 2012

Beza Globalisasi dan Maksud Alamiah


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GLOBALISASI sering dihubungkan dengan suatu proses Pembaratan (Westernisastion) yang berlaku akibat tamadun kebendaan Barat melakukan dominasi terhadap gaya hidup orang lain, termasuk masyarakat Islam.

Sesetengah orang menyebut penjajahan bentuk baru (neocolonialism) yang memberi fokus kepada budaya popular menjadikan teknologi langit terbuka dan media baru sebagai pengantara yang amat berkesan.

Bila diteliti kandungan, input dan nilai program yang terdapat dalam media baru, ia kurang memberi sentuhan keinsanan (high-touch) dan tidak mampu meningkatkan akal budi insan.

Namun, terdapat pendekatan kreatif dan proaktif di kalangan penyumbang program yang berjiwa Islam - menggunakan saluran internet seperti portal dan laman web untuk menyajikan bahan-bahan lebih Islamik.

Tetapi jumlahnya masih jauh lebih kecil berbanding di portal dan laman web didominasi pihak-pihak lain yang cuba membawa sistem nilai mereka dalam pelbagai orientasi. Konsep alamiah yang dibawa oleh Islam berbeza daripada globalisasi.

Alamiah dari sudut Islam mendukung aliran kesejagatan, tetapi terhubung dengan maksud membawa risalah rahmah alamiah - fokus terhadap pembangunan diri insan seutuhnya di mana wujud perimbangan yang baik antara sumber dan pemanfaatan, ilmu dan kebenaran, kemajuan dan etika, teknologi dan nilai guna, media baru dan kandungan yang memartabatkan kualiti keinsanan.

Globalisasi dalam erti kata luas adalah pancaran suatu fahaman dari sistem kapitalis yang mendukung faham neo-liberalis - memberikan definisi hak asasi manusia secara melampau tanpa ikatan agama mahupun etika. Amat dipentingkan ialah nilai komersial terhadap produk dan setengahnya untuk meraikan keperluan nafsu syahwat.

Ia menyebabkan berlaku perbahasan di Barat mengenai konsep pascamodenisme yang mendukung faham anti autoriti dan hierarki serta mencetuskan aliran anarki. Ia amat bercanggah dengan konsep alamiah yang dibawa Islam - menekankan kepentingan nilai agama dan peradaban yang sifatnya lebih manusiawi bukannya haiwani.

Penentangan terhadap autoriti dengan fahaman neo-liberalisme menyebabkan serangan terhadap nilai-nilai yang bersifat tradisi, mengajukan faham kebebasan akliah tanpa batas dan tidak merujuk kepada nilai-nilai agama sebagai sumber etika dan nilai serta akhirnya kecenderungan berontak terhadap status-quo amat ketara sekali.

Keruntuhan terhadap hierarki bermula dengan merobohkan pola-pola kekeluargaan dan menyebabkan lahirnya pola-pola gay dan lesbian yang menyebabkan autoriti keturunan dalam gugatan, faktor kesinambungan generasi berada dalam dilema serius.

Keluarga adalah unit masyarakat yang terkecil. Jika ia runtuh dan timbul pola-pola baru dalam sistem bermasyarakat ia bakal melahirkan anarki. Walaupun isu genetik satu seginya menyumbang di lingkungan ilmu pengetahuan, tetapi dalam wilayah keturunan dan kekeluargaan ia telah melahirkan krisis.

Sebab itu konsep alamiah dalam tradisi Islam memberi fokus tentang pentingnya binaan rijal (manusia) - dalam erti kata lebih bermakna ialah keluarga yang bakal menghasilkan zuriat dan keturunan.

Dalam al-Quran terdapat kisah dan sejarah Nabi Lut a.s. yang cuba mencegah kaumnya dari melakukan manifestasi hubungan sejenis kerana kesan terhadap binaan keluarga dan zuriat-keturunan amat besar sekali. Ini seharusnya dijadikan pengajaran generasi terkemudian supaya martabat insan tidak terjebak dalam kedurjanaan yang menolak hidup yang fitrah.

Hal itu muncul semula pada abad ini. Ia adalah gambaran anarki (suatu keadaan yang tidak tertib) akibat manusia tidak menjadikan agama yang fitrah dan sifat bertamadun sebagai sumber rujukan dan menjadikan akal dan teknologi segala-galanya. Ia telah menatijahkan manusia hilang nilai manusiawinya dan lahirlah pola-pola haiwani dalam pelbagai bentuk dan manifestasi.

Oleh kerana faktor globalisasi amat mendominasi dalam semua aspek dan bidang, ia telah mengekalkan umat Islam sebagai umat pengguna terhadap keunggulan orang lain. Justeru, umat Islam harus bangkit sebagai penyumbang terhadap keperluan manusia yang lain. Fokus harus dijadikan rujukan ialah pembinaan diri insan seutuhnya.

(Ditulis oleh Profesor Sidek Baba)

Cantik Si Bunga Kertas


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POKOK bunga kertas atau ‘bougainvillea’ mampu mempamerkan bunga cantik pelbagai warna menarik, selain senang ditanam dan dijaga serta cukup tahan lasak.

Ia berasal dari nama seorang pelayar Perancis, Louis de Bougainville yang menemuinya di Amerika Selatan pada kurun ke-18.

‘Bougainvillea’ tergolong dalam famili tumbuhan ‘nyctaginaceae’, sebenarnya adalah bunga rasmi bagi bandar raya Ipoh.

Kelopak bunganya yang berwarna warni sebenarnya ialah pengasuh bunga atau brakta (bract) dengan tekstur seakan kertas. Bunga yang sebenar hanya bersaiz kecil dan panjang, manakala kelopak yang sebenar terletak di hujungnya dan setiap bunga akan keluar dari dalam pengasuhnya.



Kecantikan ‘bougainvillea’ terletak pada beberapa ciri berikut:

  Spesies berbunga satu warna tetapi dalam pelbagai pilihan warna menarik seperti ungu, merah tua, jingga, biru dan sebagainya. Contohnya, ‘bougainvillea glabra’ dan ‘Singapore pink’ dengan brakta bunga berwarna merah muda. 

  Spesies yang mempunyai brakta bunga campuran dua warna. Contohnya ‘apple blossom’ yang brakta bunganya campuran merah muda dan putih. 

  Spesies berdaun ‘variegated’ iaitu campuran warna hijau dan keputihan. Contohnya ’orange stripe’ yang berdaun campuran warna hijau dan keputihan di tepi daun serta berbunga jingga.

  Spesies yang mempunyai susunan daun cantik serta berbunga satu warna. Contohnya ‘sanderiana’ yang brakta bunganya berwarna merah tua.

Pembiakan dan penanaman

Bunga ini senang dibiak menggunakan teknik keratan batang dan tut. Untuk penanaman menggunakan teknik tut ikuti langkah seperti berikut: 

  Langkah 1: Batang atau ranting pokok ditoreh atau dipotong kulit di sekelilingnya. 

  Langkah 2: Letakkan di sekeliling keratan tadi dengan medium tut yang basah untuk menggalakkan pertumbuhan akar.
Medium tut yang sesuai adalah campuran dua bahagian tanah peroi dan satu bahagian bahan organik atau hanya gunakan saja lumut ‘sphagnum moss’ yang basah.

  Langkah 3: Balut medium tut dengan plastik lut sinar dan ikat di kedua-dua bahagian hujungnya dengan tali rafia agar medium tanaman tidak terkeluar. Juga kekalkan kelembapan pada medium tut berkenaan. 

  Langkah 4: Selang beberapa minggu, akar akan tumbuh di bahagian atas kulit yang dipotong itu. Apabila akar sudah tumbuh kira kira satu inci, potong batang atau ranting berkenaan untuk ditanam dalam medium tanaman. Campuran medium tanaman yang sesuai ialah 3:2:2 (tanah peroi: tanah gambut/baja organik: pasir sungai).

Penjagaan

  Cahaya - ia perlu didedahkan kepada cahaya matahari terik untuk menggalakkan pertumbuhan bunga yang berterusan.

  Air - siram air dua kali sehari pada waktu pagi dan petang pada hari panas dan siram bila perlu semasa hari hujan.
Biarkan medium tanaman kering dulu sebelum menyiram semula dan elakkan air bertakung.

  Pembajaan - pelbagai jenis baja boleh diberi asalkan mengikut sukatan dan kekerapan seperti yang disyorkan. Gunakan baja berwarna hijau untuk pertumbuhan batang dan daun yang sihat terutama selepas pemangkasan. Baja berwarna merah pula untuk menggalakkan pertumbuhan bunga. 

Idea pameran 

  Bougainvillea boleh dipamerkan dalam pelbagai cara seperti ditanam atas tanah, dalam pasu, dilatih memanjat untuk dijadikan pintu gerbang taman, memanjat dinding, pergola, ‘trellis’ dan sebagainya. Beberapa spesies bunga ini juga boleh dikahwinkan pada satu pokok.

Tip penjagaan

  Potong tangkai bunga selepas bunganya gugur untuk kelihatan kemas dan menggalakkan pertumbuhan bunga seterusnya.

  Jangan pindahkan pokok ketika ia sedang berbunga kerana akan menyebabkan bunganya cepat layu dan gugur secara tiba-tiba. 

Saturday, February 25, 2012

The True Religion




Bismillahir Rahmanir Rahim


THE first thing one should know and clearly understand about Islam is what the word “Islam” itself means. 

The religion of Islam is not named after a person as in the case of Christianity which was named after Jesus Christ, Buddhism after Gautama Buddha, Confucianism after Confucius, and Marxism after Karl Marx. Nor was it named after a tribe like Judaism after the tribe Judah and Hinduism after the Hindus.

Islam is the true religion of ALLAH and as such, its name represents the central principle of Allah’s religion; the total submission to the will of Allah. The Arabic word “Islam” means the submission or surrender of one’s will to the only true God worthy of worship “Allah” and anyone who does so it termed a “Muslim”.
The word implies “peace” which is a natural consequence of total submission to the will of Allah. Hence, it was not a new religion brought by Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon him) in Arabia in the 7th century, but only the true religion of Allah re-expressed in its final form.

Islam is the religion which was given to Adam, the first man and the first prophet of Allah, and it was the religion of all the prophets sent by Allah to mankind. The name of God’s religion, Islam, was not decided upon by late generations of man. It was chosen by Allah Himself and clearly mentioned in His final revelation to man. In the final book of divine revelation, the Quran, Allah states the following:

This day have I perfected your religion for you, completed My favour upon you, and have chosen for you Islam as your religion – Al Maaidah 5:3. 
If anyone desires a religion other than Islam (submission to Allah) never will it be accepted of Him – Ali ‘Imran 3:85.
Abraham was not a Jew nor yet a Christian; but an upright Muslim – Ali ‘Imran 3:67

Nowhere in the Bible will you find Allah saying to Prophet Moses’ people or their descendants that their religion is Judaism, not to the followers of Christ that their religion is Christianity. In fact, Christ was not even his name, nor was it Jesus! The name “Christ” comes from the Greek word Christos which means the anointed. That is, Christ is a Greek translation of the Hebrew title “Messiah”. The name “Jesus” on the other hand, is a Latinized version of the Hebrew name Esau.

For simplicity sake let us continue to refer to Prophet Esau (Peace be upon him) as Jesus. As for his religion, it was what he called to his followers to. Like the prophets before him, he called the people to surrender their will to the will of Allah; which is Islam) and he warned them to stay away from the false gods of human imagination.

According to the New Testament, he taught his followers to pray as follows: ”Yours will be done on earth as it is in Heaven.”

The Message of Islam

Since the submission of one’s will to Allah represents the essence of worship, the basic  message of Allah’s divine religion, Islam is the worship of Allah alone and the avoidance of worship directed to any person, place or thing other than Allah.

Since everything other than Allah, the Creator of all things, is Allah’s creation; it may said that Islam, in essence calls man away from the worship of creation and invites him to worship only its Creator.

He is the only one deserving man’s worship as it is only by His will that prayers are answered. If man prays to a tree and his prayers are answered, it was not the tree which answered his prayers but Allah who allowed the circumstances prayed for to take place.

One might say, “That is obvious,” however, to tree-worshippers it might not be. Similarly, prayers to Jesus, Buddha, or Krishna, to Saint Christoper, or Saint Jude or even  to Muhammad, are not answered by them but are answered by Allah. Jesus did not tell his followers to worship him but to worship Allah. As the Quran states:

And behold! Allah will say: O Jesus the son of Mary! Did you say to men,Worship me and my mother as gods besides Allah? He will say:” Glory to you I could never say what I had no right (to say) – Al Maa’idah 5:116.

Nor did he worship himself when he worshipped but rather he worshipped Allah. This basic principle is enshrined in the opening chapter of the Quran, known as Surah Al Fatihah, verse 4:

You alone do we worship and from you alone do we seek help.
And your Lord says: Call on Me and I will answer your (prayer) – Al Mukminun 40:60.

It is worth noting that the basic message of Islam is that Allah and His creation are distinctly different entities. Neither is Allah His creation or part of it, nor is His creation or a part if Him.    

This might seem obvious, but, man’s worship of creation instead of the Creator is to a large degree based on ignorance of this concept. It is the belief that the essence of Allah is everywhere in His creation or that His divine being is or was present in some aspects of His creation, which has provided justification for the worship of creation though such worship may be called the worship of Allah through his creation either directly or indirectly.

For We assuredly sent amongst every people a prophet, (with the command) worship me and avoid false gods – Al Nahl 16:36.  

When the idol worshipper is questioned as to why he or she bows down to idols created by men, the invariable reply is that they are not actually worshipping stone image, but Allah who is present within it. They claim that the stone idol is only the focal point for Allah’s essence and is not in itself Allah! One who has accepted the concept of the presence of God’s being within His creation is any way will be obliged to accept this argument of idolatry. Whereas, one who understands the basic message of Islam and its implications would never concede to idolatry no matter how it is rationalized.

Those who have claimed divinity for themselves down through the ages have often based their claims on the mistaken belief that Allah is present in man. They merely had to assert that although Allah according to their false beliefs, is in all of us, He is more present in them than in the rest of us. Hence, they claim, we should submit our will to them and worship them as they are either God in person or God concentrated within the person. 

Similarly, those who have asserted the godhood of others after their passing have found fertile ground among those who accept the false belief of God’s presence in man. One who has grasped  the basic message of Islam and its implications could never agree to worship another human being under any circumstances. God’s religion in essence is a clear call to the worship of the Creator and the rejection of creation-worship in any form. This is the meaning of the motto of Islam:

La Ilaaha Illallaah – There is no god but Allah.
Its repetition automatically brings one within the fold of Islam and sincere belief in it guarantees one Paradise. Thus, the final Prophet of Islam is reported to have said, “Any one who says: There is no god but Allah and dies holding that (belief) will enter praradise (Reported by Abu Darr and collected by Al Bukhari and Muslim).

It consists in the submission to Allah as one God, yielding to Him by obeying His commandments, and the denial of polytheism and polytheists.

The Message of False Religion

There are so many sects, cults, religions, philosophies, and movements in the world, all of which claim to be the right way or the only true path to Allah. How can one determine which one is correct or if, in fact, all are correct?

The method by which the answer can be found is to clear away the superficial differences in the teachings of the various claimants to the ultimate truth, and identify the central object of worship to which they call, directly or directly. False religions all have in common one basic claim that all men are gods of that specific men were Allah or that nature is Allah or that Allah is a figment of man’s imagination.   

Thus, it may be stated that the basic message of false religion is that Allah may be worshipped in the form of His creation. False religion invites man to the worship of creation by calling the creation or some aspects of it God. For example, prophet Jesus invited his followers to worship Allah but those who claim to be his followers today call people to worship Jesus, claiming that he was Allah!

Buddha was a reformer who introduced a number of humanistic principles to the religion of India. He did not claim to be God or did he suggest to his followers that he be an object of worship. Yet, today most Buddhists who are to be found outside of India have taken him to be God and prostrate to idols made in their perception of his likeness.

By using this principle of identifying the object of worship, false religion becomes very obvious and the contrived nature of their origin clear. As Allah said in the Quran:

That which you worship besides Him are only names you and your forefathers have invented for which Allah has sent down no authority: The command belongs only to Allah:
He has commanded that you only worship Him; that is the right religion, but most men do not understand – Yusuf 12:40.

It may be argued that all religions teach good things so why should it matter which one we follow. The reply is that all false religions teach the greatest evil, the worship of creation. Creation-worship is the greatest sin that man can commit because it contradicts the very purpose of his creation. Man was created to worship Allah alone as Allah has explicitly stated in the Quran:

I have only created Jinns and men, that they may worship me – Al Zariyaat 51:56.

Consequently, the worship of creation, which is the essence of idolatry, is the only unforgivable sin. One who dies in this state of idolatry has sealed his fate in the next life. This is not an opinion, but a revealed fact stated by Allah in his final revelation to man:

Verily Allah will not forgive the joining of partners with Him, but He may forgive (sins) less than that for whomsoever He wishes – An Nisaa 4:48 and 116. 

The Universality of Islam

Since the consequences of false religion are so grave, the true religion of Allah must be universally understandable and attainable, not confined to any people, place or time.

There can not be conditions like baptism, belief in a man, as a saviour etc.for a believer to enter paradise. Within the central principle of Islam and in its definition, (the surrender of one’s will to Allah) lies the roots of Islam’s universality. Whenever man comes to the realization that Allah is one and distinct from His creation, and submits himself to Allah, he becomes a Muslim in body and spirit and is eligible for paradise.

Thus, anyone at anytime in the most remote region of the world can become Muslim, a follower of God’s religion, Islam, by merely rejecting the worship of creation and by turning to Allah alone.

It should be noted however, that the recognition of and submission to Allah requires that one chooses between right and wrong and such a choice implies accountability. Man will be held responsible for his choices, and, as such, he should try his utmost to do good and avoid evil. The ultimate good being the worship of Allah alone and the ultimate evil being the worship of His creation along with or instead of Allah. This fact is expressed in the final revelation as follows:

Verily those who believe, those who follow the Jewish (Scriptures), the Christians and the Sabians any who believe in Allah and the last day, and work righteousness shall have their reward with their Lord; They will be not be overcome by fear nor grief – Al Baqarah 2:62
If only they had stood by the law, the Gospel, and all the revelation that was sent to them from their Lord, they would have enjoyed happiness from every side. There is from among them a party on the right course; but many of them follow a course that is evil – Al Maa'idah 5:66.

Recognition of Allah

The question which arises here is “How can all people be expected to believe in Allah given their varying background, societies and cultures? For people to be responsible for worshipping Allah they all have to have access to knowledge of Allah. The final revelation teaches that all mankind have the recognition of Allah imprinted on their souls, a part of their very nature with which they are created.

In Surah Al A’raaf, Verses 172-173; Allah explained that when He created Adam, He caused all of Adam’s descendants to come into existence and took a pledge from them saying, Am I not your Lord? To which they all replied, “Yes, we testify to it.”

Allah then explained why He had all of mankind bear witness that He is their creator and only true God worthy of worship. He said, “That was in case you (mankind) should say on the day of Resurrection, “Verily we were unaware of all this.” That is to say, we had no idea that You Allah, were our God. No one told us that we were only supposed to worship You alone. Allah went on to explain That it was also in case you should say, “ Certainly it was our ancestors who made partners (With Allah) and we are only their descendants; will You then destroy us for what those liars did?” Thus, every child is born with a natural belief in Allah and an inborn inclination to worship Him alone called in Arabic the “Fitrah”.

If the child were left alone, he would worship Allah in his own way, but all children are affected by those things around them, seen or unseen.

The Prophet (Peace be upon him) reported that Allah said, “I created my servants in the right religion but devils made them go astray”. The Prophet (Peace be upon him) also said, “Each child is born in a state of “Fitrah”, then his parents make him a Jew, Christian or a Zoroastrian, the way an animal gives birth to a normal offspring. Have you noticed any that were born mutilated?” (Collected by Al Bukhari and Muslim).

So, just as the child submits to the physical laws which Allah has put in nature, his soul also submits naturally to the fact that Allah is his Lord and Creator. But, his parents try to make him follow their own way and the child is not strong enough in the early stages of his life to resist or oppose the will of his parents. The religion which the child follows at this stage is one of custom and upbringing and Allah does not hold him to account or punish him for this religion.

Throughout people’s lives from childhood until the they die, signs are shown to them in all regions of the earth and in their own souls, until it becomes clear that there is only one true God (Allah). If the people are honest with themselves, reject their false gods and seek Allah, the way will be made easy for them but if they continually reject Allah’s signs and continue to worship creation, the more difficult it will be for them to escape.

For example, in the South Eastern region of the Amazon jungle in Brazil, South America, a primitive tribe erected a new hut to house their main idol Skwatch, representing the supreme God of all creation. The following day a young man entered the hut to pay homage to the God, and while he was in prostration to what he had been taught was his Creator and Sustainer, a mangy old flea-ridden dog walked into the hut. The young man looked up in time to see the dog lift its hind leg and pass urine on the idol. Outraged, the youth chased the dog out of the temple, but when his rage died down he realized that the idol could not be the Lord of the universe. Allah must be elsewhere, he now had a choice to act on his knowledge and seek Allah, or to dishonestly go along with the false beliefs of his tribe. As strange as it may seem, that was a sign from Allah for that young man. It contained within it divine guidance that what he was worshipping was false. 

Prophets were sent, was was earlier mentioned, to every nation and tribe to support man’s natural belief in Allah and man’s inborn inclination to worship Him as well as to reinforce the divine truth in the daily signs revealed by Allah. Although, in most cases, much of the prophets’ teachings became distorted, portions remained which point out right and wrong.

For example, the ten commandments of the Torah, their confirmation in the Gospels and the existence of laws against murder, stealing and adultery in most societies.

Consequently, every soul will be held to account for this belief in Allah and its acceptance of the religion of Islam; the total submission to the will of Allah.
We pray to Allah, the Exalted, to keep us on the right path to which He has Guided us, and to bestow on us a blessing from Him, He is indeed the Most Merciful, Praise and Gratitude be to Allah, the Lord of the worlds, and peace and blessings be on Prophet Muhammad, his family, his companions, and those who rightly follow them.    

(Written by Abu Ameenah Bilal Philips)  

Monday, February 20, 2012

Caring For The Carer


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LIVING with a sick relative, especially one who has psychiatric problems, is not easy. Not when time, care and funds needs to be allocated to provide for their emotional and medical needs.  

Although the difficulties are real, never let it interfere with your happiness and career. You will need someone to talk to, someone who understands, and someone who will take over your responsibilities. Look around for support groups. 

Assumptions

If we look closely, most families of the mentally ill still feel ashamed and stigmatised. However, their suffering is not due to having to treat the patient, but due to the community assumption that mental illness is caused by black magic. Some even think that these are retributions of for families’ bad actions in the past. Faced with such a crowd, families are often left with no choice but to remain silent. 

Families of the mentally ill need support and guidance in many ways, including support in identifying the disease early and seeking treatment for the mentally ill.It is also important for them to be patient in making sure that the mentally ill continue their medication, he noted. 

Support can also come in the form of support groups where families come together and discuss the problems they may encounter in managing their mentally ill relatives. 

When families come together, they will gain support from each other, as they themselves understand better the challenges they face, explained Prof Mohammad Hussain Habil, President of the Malaysian Psychiatric Association.  
When a member of *Hana’s (not real name) family was diagnosed with mental illness, she had her share of denial, anger and guilt; but her strength and faith in God has led her to accept and treasure her life; choosing not to view her family member’s illness negatively, but as a blessing in disguise. 

Some families feel shy and ashamed that their family member is mentally ill; some may even feel guilty. But it is OK to feel that way. Everyone has to grieve. But do get out of the denial stage fast! Because the quicker we get out of denial, the quicker we take action – to heal ourselves and our sick relatives. 

While living with family members that are mentally ill may be traumatic to some, Hana has not only proven by personal experience that these difficulties could be overcome, she now teaches other family members how to deal with those difficulties as well. 

A family support group helps. When you meet other family members, you realise that it is not that bad as you are not the only person facing this problem. 

For Poh Kim Pheng, family support groups couldn’t be closer to her heart. After bringing up two children who are affected by mental illness, she is now the Honorary Secretary-General of the Malaysian Mental Health Association (MMHA) based in Petaling Jaya. 

Now, Poh volunteers at various workshops and education programmes to help other family members deal with the challenges of living with loved ones who have mental illness. 

Family support groups encourage open discussion among family members about mental illnesses. It is good for family members to understand the symptoms of mental illnesses, what is happening to their family members, and why they act the way they do. 

 Support network 

For consultant psychiatrist Dr Abdul Kadir Abu Bakar, family support groups are not just places to discuss problems. It is a forum to get together, learn new things, share problems, plan activities and raise funds. 

As one of the founders of MINDA Malaysia (Movement for the Incorporation of New Development & Actions in Mental Health), an umbrella body formed in 2006 by family support groups all over Malaysia, Dr Abdul Kadir hopes that by coming together, MINDA can help educate other families, volunteers, and the public about mental illness. 

MINDA Malaysia train all families of the mentally ill, but for the time being, it  include discussions on schizophrenia, bipolar disorder and depression. 

Dr. Kadir’s survey five years ago showed that apart from wanting to know about mental illness and the treatments, family members of the mentally ill want long-term care for their loved ones. 

More importantly, they want their mentally ill relative to be able to carry on after they can no longer care for them. 

Families remain the main caregivers in all countries. The families’ main concern is to make sure that the patients continue to receive care when the families have gone. They want to focus on work opportunities and housing for the mentally ill. 

MINDA Malaysia is aimed at bringing families of the mentally ill together in Malaysia. It wants to promote better mental health systems and better care: a service that promotes delivery and combat discrimination. 

It also want to create a healthy environment for the mentally ill in Malaysia and educate families in the Family Link Education Programme (FLP), to have adequate and appropriate housing for the mentally ill, advocate for their rights and to promote evidence based rehabilitation. 

Dr Kadir said, currently, there are at least one family support group per state in Malaysia. The local family support groups meet monthly and they are also contact each other regularly by phone. 

The Family Link Education Programme contains eight modules of training to help family members of the mentally ill deal with the challenges in mental illnesses. 

Taught mostly by family members of the mentally ill, the modules of training include understanding the mentally ill and mental illness, medications, brain biology, self-care for carers, communication skills, problem solving skills, recovery, rehabilitation and advocacy for the mentally ill. 

Apart from providing support to members of the group, family support groups should also extend their knowledge about mental illness to the community to eradicate stigma and discrimination, Prof Hussain added. 
 
Mutual support 

There is nothing like having a shoulder to cry on in times of trouble. Hana cites an example of other family members taking over the care of one’s sick relative for short periods of time while one is away.  

Having a family member as a teacher in the Family Link Education Programme enables him/her to have more empathy and understanding in explaining the issues involved, said Hana, who now teaches some of the modules in the programme to other family members. 

Somehow, having experience makes what you are teaching more real. You can really tell people that this is what you have experienced, and this is how you handle it. 

However, as each individual will have different experiences, Hana draws from her own experiences to provide real life advice to family members. For her, dealing with her relative’s sickness not only gave her family strength, it caused her to mature and know how to handle crises in life.  

Balancing needs 

In the process of giving care, families must sometimes remind themselves that they indeed have lives of their own and need to lead them as normally as possible. 

Although attending to the needs of an ill relative is very important, self-care is very important for families with mentally ill members. Family members have to understand that taking care of an ill relative is a shared responsibility. On the other hand, one should not neglect other family members who are not ill. 

Most importantly, family members should take time off now and then to heal themselves. You may need to meet with other friends, do whatever you need to do, and enjoy your life. If it is going to happen for a long time, you must take care of yourself to keep on going. 

For family members, the ultimate joy would be to see their loved ones overcome their mental illness, working and live a life like anybody else.  There is hope no matter how long your loved ones have been suffering from the illness. Do not give up. 
 
  To find out more about family support groups in your area, MINDA Malaysia, and the Family Link Education Programme, visit the Malaysian Mental Health Association (MMHA) website: www.mentalhealth.org.my, or the Malaysian Psychiatric Association website: www.psychiatry-malaysia.org. 


Friday, February 17, 2012

Mandi


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RAMAI orang Malaysia mengatakan amalan mandi malam boleh mendatangkan pelbagai masalah kesihatan.

Kajian menunjukkan mandi bukan sahaja boleh membersihkan badan daripada kotoran tetapi juga boleh menghilangkan stres. Mandi memainkan peranan penting dalam mempertingkat sistem imun badan selain mengelak penyakit kulit seperti ekzema dan masalah kesihatan lain.

Kebanyakan penyakit kronik antaranya diabetes, hipertensi, kegagalan buah pinggang dan masalah kardiovaskular muncul daripada kegagalan sistem dalam badan, cara pemakanan dan gaya hidup kita. Tiada bukti yang mengatakan mandi pada waktu malam boleh mendatangkan penyakit-penyakit ini.

Sebenarnya air mandian suam boleh membuka liang-liang roma badan dan membantu menghilangkan toksin. Mandi dengan air hangat boleh mengurangkan sakit otot dan membantu usus berfungsi dengan baik. Tetapi kalau sedang mengalami stres, mandi dengan air sejuk boleh membantu.

Negara ini mempunyai iklim tropika bercuaca panas dan lembab dan oleh itu mandi malam tidak mendatangkan kemudaratan, kecuali anda menghidapi pneumonia dan tinggal di negara yang mempunyai iklim musim sejuk.

Di hospital, pesakit yang boleh berjalan dan boleh mandi, memang digalakkan mandi.  Bakteria boleh bertindak pada peluh dan ini membangkitkan bau badan. Kesegaran mandi membuatkan badan lebih sihat, selain membersihkan bakteria daripada permukaan kulit.  Lebih baik lagi jika kita menggunakan sabun antibakteria.

Prinsip yang sama juga ditetapkan pada amalan membasuh tangan. Ia satu amalan kebersihan yang baik bila kita kerap basuh tangan terutama sebelum makan, sama juga bila kita mandi walaupun pada waktu malam.

Ekzema

Ekzema adalah penyakit kulit kronik yang menyebabkan kulit menjadi kering, senang mengalami iritasi dan kegatalan. Tiada ubat bagi masalah ini tetapi penjagaan kulit yang baik membantu mengawalnya.

Kulit kering bukan kurang minyak tetapi kurang mengandungi air.  Pakar dermatologi mengesyorkan mereka yang ada masalah kulit kering supaya mandi dan menggunakan pelembab pada waktu malam. Kulit tidak mungkin kering semasa tidur, oleh itu air lebih senang meresap ke dalam kulit.

Jadual kerja ketat

Ramai juga yang tidak punya masa untuk mandi secukupnya kerana jadual kerja yang ketat. Ada juga yang bermasalah bila berjauhan dari rumah dan tidak sesuai dengan tempat di mana mereka berada.

Contohnya, para peniaga perlu keluar berniaga pada awal-awal pagi dan hanya pulang ke rumah pada lewat malam. Ini menyebabkan mereka malas mandi kerana menyimpan tenaga untuk aktiviti perniagaan pada esoknya.

Gagal mandi boleh mengundang pelbagai penyakit yang mengganggu kehidupan, keyakinan dan produktiviti.

Tetapi mengapa orang tua-tua mengatakan mandi malam tidak baik? Sebenarnya nasihat begitu mungkin tidak boleh dipakai lagi sekarang.

Pada masa dahulu kebanyakan rumah tidak mempunyai saluran bekalan air paip. Penduduk luar bandar umumnya mandi menggunakan air perigi dan air sungai. Untuk pergi ke perigi dan sungai pada waktu malam tanpa cahaya lampu dan suasana gelap mungkin mengundang pelbagai bahaya seperti binatang berbisa dan juga bahaya di sungai. Mungkin kerana itu orang tua melarang kita mandi waktu malam.

Kini kita mempunyai kemudahan yang lebih baik. Bagi mereka yang pulang malam, eloklah bersihkan badan terlebih dahulu sebelum ke tempat tidur.

Mandi adalah kaedah baik bagi merehatkan otot badan. Setelah bekerja sehari suntuk, otak dan badan perlukan rehat. Mandi pada malam hari (sebelum tidur) boleh membantu mengembalikan ketahanan fizikal dan emosi.

Terdapat banyak salah faham tentang isu mandi malam kerana ramai berpendapat ia membawa mudarat termasuk mendatangkan penyakit.
Sebenarnya ia bukan memudaratkan bagi orang yang sihat. Mandi menggunakan air hangat akan membuka liang roma serta memberikan kesan yang segar, membuatkan kita dapat tidur lena dan membantu mengurangkan insomnia (susah untuk tidur).


Menurut pengamal homeopati, mandi adalah satu amalan semula jadi bagi memberi regangan kepada minda dan badan. Seseorang itu bukan hanya dapat tidur lena tetapi juga tidur dengan lebih lama.


Wednesday, February 15, 2012

Treating Pain


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EVERYONE experiences pain at one time or another. The difference is some experience it for a few weeks, while others may have to deal with it for months. In any situation, the most important thing is to understand the causes and treatments for the pain to avoid self-medication or misdiagnosis.
Pantai Hospital Kuala Lumpur consultant anaesthetist and pain management specialist Dr Gopinathan Raju says awareness of pain is still low, especially on the causes and treatments for chronic pain. If doctors fail to identify chronic pain, the patient will suffer without proper treatment.
Some patients prefer to seek over-the-counter drugs for their pain. Without proper prescription, long-term use of these drugs can lead to other health issues such as gastric and kidney failure.
He says there are two types of pain — acute and chronic. Acute  pain lasts for few days or weeks while chronic pain lingers for more than three months. With proper treatment, those suffering from acute pain will be cured. Unfortunately, this is not the case for chronic pain.
Dr Gopinathan says treatment goals for chronic pain are mainly to reduce the pain to a tolerable level, improve the patient’s quality of life, improve his physical movement and minimise the side effects of the drugs. Chronic pain patients have to live with the pain for the rest of their lives.

PAIN CYCLE

Patients with chronic pain will go through  a pain cycle. The first is suffering from the pain, then feeling despair, loss of sleep and anxiety which could lead to low self-esteem and depression.
The Malaysian Association For The Study Of Pain has defined pain as a multifaceted sensory and emotional experience that is usually unpleasant. Depending on the cause of his condition, a patient may feel sensations which include pricking, pulling, aching, boring, cutting, drilling, freezing, pinching, pressing, pounding, smarting, throbbing, tingling, burning, cramping, piercing, stabbing and pins and needles.
Pain is often misunderstood due to the lack of specialists, says Dr Gopinathan. There are only a handful of pain specialists in the country and most of them are anaesthetists who have gone for further training in pain management.
“Understanding pain is not easy. A general practitioner looks at pain differently from pain specialists, who look into the patient’s history, environment and lifestyle. You have to treat chronic pain. Unfortunately there are not many avenues for people to seek treatment here.
“When patients are referred to me, I need to rule out the other causes of the pain such as cancer, infection, neurological problems and soft fractures, especially in the elderly. I also need to know about their history. I investigate about their background — whether they are smokers or are stressed.  This will help me determine where the pain comes from.”

MY BACK HURTS

The most common chronic pain is back pain which is harmless. Almost 70 per cent of back pain is due to muscles and ligaments spasm that can be treated with pain killers and anti inflammatory drugs. Medication can reduce between 30 and 40 per cent of pain. Physical therapy and exercise, and changing your mindset also help.
“Some patients are worried that they will be paralysed or die from back pain. I tell them to change their mindset and follow doctor’s advice. Only five per cent of back pain needs serious treatment.”
Management of pain is a multi-pronged approach that involves  the participation of the pain specialist, physiotherapist, pharmacist, psychologist, dietitian and rehabilitation counsellors. Patients will undergo either pharmaceutical or non-pharmaceutical treatments or both.
“We will prescribe a combination of drugs for the pain.  Patients go for physiotherapy and will undergo a graded exercise programme. Stretching muscles improves their flexibility and increases blood flow.
“Epidural injections relieve inflammation in the spine. They will ease the pain for six months. They are safer than surgery and done in a controlled condition. Surgery is the last option and only when the damage is too big such as a fracture to the spine or pressure on the spinal cord causing weaknesses to the muscle.”

MANAGING PAIN

Pain which is not severe can be treated without medication. There are several steps to relieve the pain:
• Doing simple exercises like walking, swimming or gardening. The exercise will reduce the stiffness of the muscle, increase strength and blood flow which will relieve pain and avoid stiffness of the joint and muscle.
• Learn proper breathing techniques. Slow breathing helps ease pain. Yoga or tai qi helps with the breathing technique.
• Stay positive by telling yourself that you will overcome pain. Tell yourself that everybody has good and bad days. Good days  are when you don’t have pain and you can do the things you want to do. On days that you are suffering from pain, avoid doing strenuous activities and do simple exercises.
• Get a good night’s sleep.
• Distract yourself from pain. Find a hobby or do other things that will keep you busy.
• Share with your friends about pain.
• Do not blame yourself or others for pain.
Go for regular check-ups, avoid or stop smoking because it is one of the causes for chronic pain, exercise and eat healthily.
“If you are overweight, you have to lose weight. Being overweight can cause pain in the knee joints as well as other illnesses. Menopausal women need to make sure their bones are healthy.”

What ails you

1. Acute pain: Occurs as a result of injury to the body and generally disappears when the physical injury heals. Acute pain is linked to tissue injury. This includes:
• surgical pain
• muscles strain
• orthopedic type injuries
• labour and delivery

Symptoms:
• sharp
• burning
• cramping
• aching
• pressured

2. Chronic: Pain that lasts more than three months. The pain maybe multi-focal and vague. There may be no signs on x-rays or scans to indicate the source of the pain since some pain may be generated by tissue injury. Depression is common with chronic pain.
Neuropathic chronic pain is caused by injury to the nerve. Symptoms include tingling, numbness or burning sensation. This type of pain is difficult to treat.
Common types of neuropathic pain include:
•     Diabetic neuropathy — nerve damage as a result of high blood sugar.
• Post-herpetic neuralgia — pain from shingles after the blisters have healed.
•     Peripheral vascular disease — pain in legs, usually during activity, from lack of blood supply to the extremities. The legs may be discoloured, cold and the skin may be shiny.

Symptoms:
• Painful itching.
• Strange sensation.
• Extreme sensitivity to normal touch and temperature.
• Burning
• Electric-like sensation.
• Painful numbness
• Pins and needles.

Non-neuropathic chronic pain — pain that is not caused by injury to the nerve which includes:
• Low back pain due to muscles, ligament, tendons, arthritis or damage disc.
• Osteoarthritis — arthritis resulting from wear and tear of the joints and with ageing.
• Rheumatoid arthritis — an autoimmune disorder resulting in pain, stiffness and inflammations of the joints.
Symptoms:
• Gnawing
• Pounding

3. There are many chronic pain syndromes that do not belong to neuropathic or non-neuropathic. These include:
•    Fibromyalgia syndrome — diffuse body pain with tenderness in the muscles.
•    Tension headache — pressure-type headache lasting days to weeks and often not severe.
• Migraine headache — episodic headache that persists for an hour to days with nausea and is often severe.
• Irritable bowel syndrome — abdominal pain with cramping, bloating and constipation often alternating with diarrhoea.
•     Low back pain that is not related to disc injury and without a known cause.

Treatment
Specific treatment options need to be tailored to the individual patient. Consult healthcare professional to determine the right treatment.

Prevention techniques
• Regular exercise
• Maintain a healthy body weight
• Use safe techniques when lifting heavy objects.

( Source: The New Straits Times)