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| An Interaction at Shant Manas |
Walking in and
around the streets of Madurai and the surrounding villages meeting people,
visiting monuments, facilitating serious discussions, extending hands to noble
causes (promoting positive mental health), listening to inspiring sharings,
acquainting with strangers (Hijrahs /
Trans-genders) in the month of April; the summer this year was simply tough,
memorable, tiring, beautiful and ‘great’.
It was enriching
to acquaint with new friends with a very inspiring life; interesting, aesthetic
and historical places to relax; broad, open and fresh concepts to reflect. They
have challenged me to reconsider my frame of thought regarding the contribution
of the non-christian-ordinary-people in the transformation of the society.
Despite my familiarity with genuine freedom fighters, social activists and
social workers in India, it never occurred to me that they could be around me.
So it was the case regarding mental health. These days taught me a lot. It was
tougher than textbooks.
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| Interacting with a Service User (not seen in the photo) in his house |
Initially I was
in Madurai, to learn about the mental health (Psychiatry). I was placed in a
non-profitable NGO called Shant Manas
which promotes mental health in the villages towards the eastern borders of the
city. I had a live-in learning
experience walking into the lives of people with mental illness, common mental
disorders, and learning disabilities; the social stigma that haunts them and
the improper remedies proposed in their surroundings. The experience changed my
attitudes and perceptions towards the mentally ill. I gained new insights into
mental illness – its causes, remedies, duration, complications etc. Most
fundamental among them was their right to be respected as human beings
suffering from some sort of brain
dysfunction, which can be treated like any other physical illness. Further
it helped me break the myth of superstitions and black magic regarding mental
illness popularly prevalent in both the literate and illiterate of India.
Besides the
subject matter, the NGO challenged me to alter the vertical, top-bottom,
institute centered methodology of functioning in our work for the poor. Instead
it proposed a horizontal, dialogical, egalitarian, people-centered method of
functioning. The NGO calls the patient as ‘service user’ and treats them in
their natural family setting in contrast to the traditional method of treatment
in seclusion. Added to these learning experiences, I cherished my friendship
with the volunteers working there: Bhuvana mam, Vignesh, Arun, Vanny etc.
My visits and
interactions with transgenders had a transformative effect. They helped me
broaden my horizon. The allowed to glimpse into their world-picture, form of
living etc. Hoping to get reach out to them some time in future.
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| A Discussion about the Traditional Treatments for the Mentally Ill |
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| A Volunteer presents the Rehabilitation Programme for the Mentally Ill |
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