Kota Kinabalu: Child psychologist and registered counsellor Dr Noor Aishah Rosli told the inquest into the death of Zara Qairina Mahathir that there was no evidence the teenager suffered from depression, psychosis, schizophrenia or delusions.
She said the available reports also did not indicate that Zara had any diagnosed mental health disorder, had sought counselling, or was on psychiatric medication.
Dr Noor Aishah explained that although Zara experienced stress, it should not be equated with mental illness.
“Everyone experiences stress. Even deciding what to eat for lunch can cause stress. Stress can be positive or negative, depending on how a person copes with it,” the 76th deponent said as she continued her testimony on Tuesday before Coroner Amir Shah Amir Hassan.
She explained that individuals who are able to cope with stress would usually recover quickly, while those who remain overwhelmed without finding a way to manage it could progress to anxiety.
However, she stressed that her psychological assessment did not conclude that Zara suffered from anxiety.
“There is not a single statement in my report saying Zara had anxiety. Stress has different levels, from mild to moderate, but she did not meet the criteria that would lead to depression,” she said.
Dr Noor Aishah also testified that there was no evidence Zara had psychosis, which she described as involving hallucinations or delusions.
“We did not receive any reports from the experts indicating hallucinations or delusions. Zara also never sought counselling or took psychiatric medication,” she said.
She added that Zara also did not meet the criteria for major depressive disorder or bipolar disorder, both of which are conditions associated with a higher risk of suicide.
Responding to suggestions that Zara’s personal notes reflected depression, Dr Noor Aishah said such a conclusion could not be drawn based solely on the writings, as any assessment must take into account the overall psychological evidence.
