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| Sunday, 7 March 2004 |
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| News Business Features Editorial
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'Sahanaya' brings relief by Vimukthi Fernando "Well, Yes, it made me angry. It made me so angry that she did not
want to see me succeed because her daughter who is of similar age, "She first started scolding me and disturbing my studies saying that I did not have the capability to do it when I was doing my Advanced Levels and because of that I used to get angry with my parents and siblings too. Then they took me to the hospital for treatment." But, today - she is hopeful of the future - of not 'listening to the voice' in her head. Determined to go out and make life give its best for her. Thinking of gaining employment in the field of Agriculture, in which she is qualified with a diploma from an Affiliated University and her reading for the Bachelor's Degree. The second option, she says would be to seek employment in the Computer field which she learns at Sahanaya. It brings relief, as its name denotes. "Sahanaya" the Community Mental Health Resource Centre of the National Council for Mental Health down Kitulwatte Road, Colombo 8. Walking the stretch from Kanatta, down Kitulwatta Road in itself is enjoyable in the cool morning. The road is swept with flowers on either side. You walk further, listening to the chirping and singing of birds in the air through the open gates to a garden bathed in sunlight. A lot of activity goes in this serene environs during the day as those who suffer from different illnesses receive their treatment. 'We are a non government organisation built on the World Health Organisation's community health policy, providing mental health care preventing illness and promoting health," says Dr. Sunera Fernando, a Registrar in Psychiatry at Sahanaya. That is providing mental health care for the community - by the community - in the community, she explains. Making communities aware of the illnesses is of paramount importance, she points out. Though physical illness is noticeable, mental illness could go undetected for a long time. The danger is, most critical mental illnesses such as schizophrenia and manic depressive illness affecting young people between the ages 15 to 25, their most productive years. The cue is behaviour, if some behaviour of a person is affecting his or her daily life then it is the crucial time to intervene and seek help. For instance, take depression, the commonest form of illness which can affect anyone at anytime, says Dr. Fernando. A housewife who normally goes about enjoying her family and friends, keeping a clean and tidy house may suddenly neglect her chores, feel she is incapable of carrying on with her work, may become irritated, abusive, not interact with others and isolate herself. Her everyday life is stopped. She may even get fed up and even commit suicide if she is not treated. So, would be a schoolgoing child, who suddenly neglects his homework, not pay attention in the class, not play with friends, find it difficult to eat or sleep properly and start staying in bed thinking for long hours. These are some of the symptoms of depression. Early detection and treatment of mental illness increase the probability of cure and the control of diseases. It is equivalent to physical illness, early treatment brings good results and minimises bad effects. Sahanaya's programme which helps those who are suffering with mental illness is three pronged. A clinical programme which provides clinical assessment, treatment, psychological therapies, a drop in centre and follow up and continuing care; a skills development programme which provides personal independence and social skills, domestic skills, occupational skills, leisure and recreational skills and group therapy; and information, education and training services. Sahanaya in its clinical programme provides psychiatric consultations by psychiatric consultants, says Indrani Wijesundera, Coordinator, Clinical Projects. It houses two full-time medical officers and psychologists and volunteers to conduct programmes. All clients get an individual assessment. Clients are given unlimited time during the assessment and are free to question and clear doubts if any. Thereafter, the clients are referred to the particular service they need - skills programme, group or special therapy, counselling and medication. Special meetings are held with the family to make it easier for the client and to help family members understand more of the illness he or she suffers from. The psychiatric drop-in-centre is a half-way house for those who suffer from illnesses which cannot be diagnosed directly. The skills programme equips a client to integrate with the everyday atmosphere which he, she lives in, says Arundathie Yasaratne, Coordinator, Skills Programme. The clients participating at the rehabilitation programmes in Sahanaya are those who are recovering from long term illnesses. Inability to perform the skills previously learned is part and parcel of the illness. Sahanaya's individual care plan determines the skills he or she lacks and build those skills they lack to commence life in their own community. Sahanaya's programmes are further strengthened by the care-giver's group (a group consisting of family members/friends of the clients), Sahanaya friends group (a group of individuals and organisations who had come forward to support its activities) and the former clients' group who regularly meet and come up with innovative ideas. Facilities for mental health patients in Sri Lanka are woefully inadequate and one area is in establishing half-way houses for those who are recovering from illness. There are almost no halfway houses in the country. Perhaps, that's an area Sahanaya will take up next. Eksith Fernando, Sahanaya's new Chief Executive Officer hints, recalling a time as a child he experienced the generosity of his parents in providing a safe-house for a family friend recovering from mental illness. "But, today I ask the question myself, would I do it?" He stresses the necessity for half-way houses. Mental illness is not something that happens to the unknown stranger, says Prof. Nalaka Mendis, Consultant Psychiatrist and founder of Sahanaya. According to WHO statistics 10% of the world population suffers from mental illness. Fifty percent of the world suicides are caused by mental illness claiming about one million lives. Mental illness puts a large burden on the social, economic and family life of the person suffering from illness and 2.5 percent GDP of the world is lost due to mental illness. One in four families have someone suffering from serious mental illness. Sahanaya now has established resident facilities at Gorakana, and plans to expand its services through community units in Vavuniya, Trincomalee and Matara or Galle. Sahanaya seeks volunteers from the community, people with empathy and understanding to spread their services at the grassroots level. Established on March 7, 1983, Sahanaya the Community Mental Health Resource Centre of the National Council for Mental Health celebrates its 21st anniversary this year. To commemorate the Sahanaya Day, there will be a seminar on the theme "Towards better community mental health care" at the Sahanaya Auditorium, 96/20, Kitulwatte Road, Off Elvitigala Mawatha, Colombo 8, on Monday, March 8 at. 4.00 p.m. |
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could
not succeed in life. She was jealous of me and was trying to stop me from
studying," Lakshika (not her real name) goes on. About 30 years old,
dressed neatly in an outfit matching her skin colour, with an attractive
smile, Lakshika is a beauty.
