Many patients with mental illness
feel that they live in a world of darkness where
not even the faintest glimmer of a light could be
seen. They see their lives not in full color but
in dull black in white. Transiently, their depressive
and other negative emotions pull them some distance
safely from the edge, only to be down again the
next moment, in the brink of potentially fatal thoughts
of self destruction.
Left to themselves, these people—many of whom
are not berefit with talents and looks—feel
desperately helpless. What sometimes pushes them
to go over the edge is not only their inherent misperceptions
about their self, but the apparent stigma cast by
a discriminating society on them that even extends
to their families.
Many with psychological disturbance try to hide
their inner turmoil because they fear being labeled
as a ‘psycho’ or a ‘wacko’.
Therapy is delayed and the psychological problem
snowballs into a full-blown psychosis
“These patients experience discrimination
everyday and this has an impact on delaying better
mental health care and better quality of life of
people with this illness,” says Dr. Paul Lee,
consultant psychiatrist at the Manila Doctors’
Hospital.
The ‘Light One’s
Life’ was recently organized as a support
group to improve the sad plight of people with
mental illness. A joint undertaking of the Philippine
Psychiatric Association and Otsuka Pharmaceuticals,
it hopes to educate the public on what mental
illness is all about, how prevalent it is, early
signs of the illness and how relatives and friends
can provide a strong support for patients with
mental problems.
Unknown to many, mental illnesses are fairly
common, yet are widely misunderstood. Emotional
support from friends and relatives who are well
informed about mental illnesses can play a key
role in paving the way back to mental health
Essentially, ‘Light One’s
Life’ is a support program to help one learn
more about mental illnesses, develop coping strategies,
get a referral for an affiliated psychiatrist to
treat them, and find the support they need.
As an advocacy group, the ‘Light One’s
Life’ hopes to provide both practical pointers
for coping with difficult circumstances especially
crisis situations, and an understanding group of
people who are equipped with knowledge and experiences
that give them a proper perspective on mental illness.
The members of this group can draw strength
from the shared experiences of mental patients
and their relatives who have learned to live
well despite the illness.
‘Light One’s Life’ can also
help clarify misperception, which stereotype
patients and their relatives. “These
misperceptions in mental illness add up to
the cycle of stigmatization,” says Dr.
Lee, a strong advocate of the group.
If the stigma on those with psychological
problems is properly addressed, those with
what seem to be borderline cases of psychological
disturbance won’t feel embarrassed anymore
to seep help from a psychiatrist. It is not
to be denied that in our culture, a trip to
the psychiatrist’s clinic is equated
already to be synonymous with one being a
psycho case. Many therefore suppress their
inner psychological conflicts until the pent
up inner conflict turns into a more serious
form of psychosis.
According to psychiatrists, there may be
some warning signs in one’s behavior
that one may have a tendency to develop a
psychiatric problem. Frequently, these patterns
of behavior which tend to be repetitive are
dismissed as just normal reactions to stress.
These include the following:
•
Increased energy and restlessness
• Excessively ‘high’ euphoric
mood
• Extreme irritability
• Inability to contain thoughts; jumping
from one idea to another
• Inability to concentrate
• Little sleep needed to last the day
• Unrealistic beliefs of one’s
abilities
• Poor judgment
• Spending sprees
• Increased sexual drive
• Unusual aggressive behavior
• Denial that one’s behavior is
not normal.
The more of above behavior
patterns are present, the more the chances
that a psychological problem might be lurking
inside. Like the general rule in medicine
says, the earlier a condition is recognized,
the lesser the chances of serious complications
developing later on.
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