Hello everyone, happy new month to you. I was reading online before I stumbled on blogformentalhealth.com and it reminded me of my visit to Pakoto in Ogun State, Nigeria during my Psychiatry posting.
Aside the fact that psychiatry posting was interesting and very different from other medical specialty depicts the level of tenderness and care people with mental health challenges need. It is disheartening that some do not receive adequate care or none at all majorly due to stigmatization.
During my posting, I learnt that it could be anyone because there is a thin line between normalcy and mental health disorders; depending on what the stressor is, which could sometimes be unpreventable, for instance death of a loved one, accidents, emotional traumas etc .
After learning at clinics, we travelled to Ogun state, Nigeria to clerk patients who were not brought to hospital but taken to churches or spiritual homes.
The patient’s legs were chained to the ground, one of the two buildings had only roofs, no wall; which meant even when it rains it beats them. The man I was assigned to clerk was chained to a tree in the bush, no shelter whatsoever, although he needs just a little care and he would be better, he was well oriented.
I learnt some of them have been there for years, without drugs but only prayers. They hardly saw their family members. These were people who were once independent, hardworking and had other people depending on them.
I’m not saying God can’t do miracles, but I also believe He gave us the wisdom and knowledge of medicine to cater for us.
I have clerked a patient who was not oriented in time, person and place, paranoid and had grandiose delusion, and on the next visit, the patient was looking better, recognized me, spoke to me, smiled at me and I was really excited because the patient used drugs.
At the end of our visit, we asked our lecturer why the health sector paid little or no attention to mental health, why it was not included in Millennium Development Goals, why no one or a few people are talking about it?
She said probably because people keep it as a secret and it isn’t popular.
Maybe that is why we do not realize 8million people die worldwide due to mental health disorders according to JAMA Psychiatry.
“I pledge my commitment to the Blog for Mental Health 2015 Project. I will blog about mental health topics not only for myself, but for others. By displaying this badge, I show my pride, dedication, and acceptance for mental health. I use this to promote mental health education in the struggle to erase stigma.”
For more information on Blog for Mental Health visit: blogformentalhealth.com
Happy World Health Day 2015.
I wish you all long life in good health! 😀
