Support desperately needed

Psychosis is a defining feature of schizophrenia. Psychosis also occurs as a symptom of other mental health issues such as personality disorders or mood disorders such as bipolar disorder.

The tragedy of psychosis is that without treatment it becomes steadily worse.

In poor countries, there simply isn’t the support to cope with a person exhibiting symptoms like delusion or aggression so they are often chained up for their – and their family’s – protection.

This makes CBM’s intervention so important.

In our programs, our three key strategies for dealing with psychosis are:

• Capacity Building: Building a community-based mental health service where people can have access to medications and support services.
• Advocacy: Speaking with and on behalf of people with illnesses like schizophrenia in the community and at a wider Health Services level, where they often do not have a voice.
• Community Desensitisation: Awareness programs to educate the community about the mental illness to desensitize their fears and help them detect mental illness earlier, especially where children are concerned.

Eddy's story

Eddy is chained to a pole in an empty room in his home. Once a month he is released to take a bath. He urinates in the corner of the room.

Only years before, he was a peacekeeper in Indonesia’s Civil War. It was during this service that Eddy began to lose his sense of reality, and was sent home.

He didn’t improve, and began behaving strangely. Plucking at invisible dirt, licking it and spitting in the air.

People in his village began teasing him, saying "You're mad!"

One day he retaliated and hit out at them, so he was chained up.

Eddy has schizophrenia. His family can’t afford treatment. Fortunately, they heard about the work of CBM and have come for help.

Dr Dr Andrew Mohanraj is able to treat Eddy with some anti-psychotic medication, and help to get employment. While we may not be able to cure the illness, with your support we can control the symptoms and give Eddy a chance to lead a dignified life.

“We see CBM as the experts,” says Eddy’s mother, Fatima. “We have heard of your expertise and we are confident Eddy will get better.”