The Importance of Psychology in Developing Countries

Suicide is the second leading cause of death of Malaysian youth. The largest contributing factor to suicide today is mental illness; a travesty society is under-equipped to deal with. Due to my country’s inattentive culture, students who are suspected to be mentally unfit get sent straight to psychiatrists to be prescribed drugs and given a diagnosis that comes with an invisible label that deems them as “incapable” and “inferior”.

Despite extensive knowledge on physiological healthcare, ignorance of mental health is appalling. My nation’s lack of awareness to educate the public on mental health results in resorting to self-harm, suicide and more. Witnessing friends and family suffering from the consequences of Malaysian society over-prioritising physical rather than mental healthcare led me to question and close the gaps in our knowledge of mental health.

I was especially intrigued by the abilities of the intellectually disabled after reading Oliver Sacks’s “The Man Who Mistook His Wife for a Hat”. It led me to question why such little attention is dedicated to empowering neurologically different minds and what we can do to cultivate a more neurodiversity-tolerant society that appreciates the unique skills they possess that can be advantageous to humanity. I was also mesmerized by Sacks’s uncommonly holistic approach to examining his patients, which I hope to integrate into my research when expanding my knowledge on behavioural neuroscience. He combines comprehensive study of the brain with careful observation of a patient’s interactions with their surroundings, allowing him to understand disorders to the extent that would not be possible through dependence on just one approach.

Taking A-level Biology, with Chemistry, has helped me to gain a deeper understanding of how cognitive tendencies can be viewed as biological processes on cellular and molecular levels. The strong emphasis on practical examinations in both subjects has also equipped me to explore psychology as a scientific discipline, which I believe will serve as a foundation for my future research into the role epigenetics plays towards psychiatric illnesses. Mathematics developed my abilities of logical analysis, observing correlation and quantifying data; skills essential to experiments and research. English Literature has let me examine societal development of different time periods, developing empathy and the ability to see situations in another light.

Another significant experience was my internship in the human resources department of a private hospital. The use of Pavlovian conditioning to motivate employees by associating quality work with monetary rewards ensured optimal work performance. I found incentives to be instrumental in organizational psychology and hope to explore this further. Being vice president of the “HERO” Society; a student community service club, has brought me valuable experiences too. Participating in soup kitchens and conversing with homeless people gave me insight as to the causes of homelessness: physical, sexual or emotional trauma. This has caused me to think about learned helplessness and techniques to alleviate distress.

With further research, I found EMDR therapy does this. I also have 10 years of classical ballet training. In this competitive art, how the different regions of the brain work together simultaneously to process dance and music mesmerised me. Prolonged periods of dancing improves motor skills, cognition and emotional agility. Personally, it has drilled into me discipline and determination. Through further research on understanding the mind, insight into mankind’s various afflictions can be achieved. Coming from a nation where credibility of one’s opinions depends on the quality of one’s education, I hope that the opportunity to do extensive research at university will allow me to voice my opinions and raise awareness on the importance of psychology in developing countries for mentally and physically healthier lifestyles.