Mental health needs attending
Tuesday, 15 June 2010
The recent drowning of three children in Barisal by a distraught mother, Renu Begum --- who herself wished to commit suicide in the same way but was rescued by neighbours ---- once again brings to light the tragic indifference and neglect that the mentally disturbed are ordinarily subjected to in this country. Although Renu Begum's husband told police his wife was 'unbalanced', he reportedly reserved the right to 'treat' her himself, and refused to cooperate with her parents who wanted to take care of her. Of course not all mentally challenged people are psychotic enough to kill their kith and kin. But when such patients do hurt or kill such acts are seldom recognized as the result of mental disease needing medical attention, not the police.
Terribly disturbed people, under the influence of medicinal drugs, depression or conjugal stresses, have been found to torture their minor servants and children and even killing. The response of the community and the authorities to such tragedies is, more often than not, to put the pitiable but treatable individuals behind bars, without so much as the benefit of the doubt. Under civilized circumstances, these wretched people would have been entitled to urgent medical attention.
The implications of mental disease on societal health is particularly dangerous when people in decision-making positions suffer from such ailments. This is why the Bangladesh constitution says quite categorically that 'a person shall be disqualified for election as, or for being, a member of Parliament who (a) is declared by a competent court to be of unsound mind.' There is no precedent however of anyone ever being barred from contesting or serving as a lawmaker on that account in this country.
The long-term implications of mental disease are not to be trivialized or dismissed as harmless. Prejudice and superstition needs to be attended to and the network of self-proclaimed 'pirs', medicine men and 'mediums' broken. Modern mental health services also must be made affordable enough to meet the needs of the poorer, unlettered sections in the country. Awareness and understanding of mental health needs unfortunately are generally lacking. Ironically, even medical practitioners, so taken up by 'specialist' practice, are often found to ignore the nutritional factor in the mental health aspects of patients who consult them.
The World Health Organisation over the past years, has been asking governments to seek holistic solutions for mental health, to move away from large mental institutions and towards integrated community health care. Globally, mental disorders are said to affect one in four people, according to WHO estimates. For Bangladesh it is one per cent of the population, which means 13 to 14 million. Holistic health experts believe that the lack of specific micronutrients in the daily diet can, and do lead to a lot of mental imbalances in impoverished societies. Balanced food intake, together with family and community care, should therefore be the first 'treatments' that the mentally challenged are given.
Terribly disturbed people, under the influence of medicinal drugs, depression or conjugal stresses, have been found to torture their minor servants and children and even killing. The response of the community and the authorities to such tragedies is, more often than not, to put the pitiable but treatable individuals behind bars, without so much as the benefit of the doubt. Under civilized circumstances, these wretched people would have been entitled to urgent medical attention.
The implications of mental disease on societal health is particularly dangerous when people in decision-making positions suffer from such ailments. This is why the Bangladesh constitution says quite categorically that 'a person shall be disqualified for election as, or for being, a member of Parliament who (a) is declared by a competent court to be of unsound mind.' There is no precedent however of anyone ever being barred from contesting or serving as a lawmaker on that account in this country.
The long-term implications of mental disease are not to be trivialized or dismissed as harmless. Prejudice and superstition needs to be attended to and the network of self-proclaimed 'pirs', medicine men and 'mediums' broken. Modern mental health services also must be made affordable enough to meet the needs of the poorer, unlettered sections in the country. Awareness and understanding of mental health needs unfortunately are generally lacking. Ironically, even medical practitioners, so taken up by 'specialist' practice, are often found to ignore the nutritional factor in the mental health aspects of patients who consult them.
The World Health Organisation over the past years, has been asking governments to seek holistic solutions for mental health, to move away from large mental institutions and towards integrated community health care. Globally, mental disorders are said to affect one in four people, according to WHO estimates. For Bangladesh it is one per cent of the population, which means 13 to 14 million. Holistic health experts believe that the lack of specific micronutrients in the daily diet can, and do lead to a lot of mental imbalances in impoverished societies. Balanced food intake, together with family and community care, should therefore be the first 'treatments' that the mentally challenged are given.