Will the Mental Health Care Bill passed by the Rajya Sabha, which brings to centre stage the rights of patients diagnosed with mental disorders, serve the purpose of making positive changes to the mental health care infrastructure?
The following is the testimony of a 54-year-old mother diagnosed with anxiety. The verbatim testimony was taken with her consent. The identities of the places and people she refers to, and those of her doctor and counsellor, have been kept confidential. She was divorced within one year of her marriage. Her family supported her treatment, initially in the public health system, and then by private health care providers. The family brought up her daughter, who is a bright, intelligent 26-year-old woman.
In X my mental health you know was, like, serious. I used to burst out tempers and was often living, like, secluded. I found people in the house very busy, like, and was shy in conversing with them. I did not feel like telling my problems as I did not know how to start and what, where to start. I felt life quite depressing and had no interest in anything. When Papa used to admonish me, I used to feel very down. I took also less interest in eating. I used to like to talk to my neighbour downstairs. Besides I liked to do house chores little bit. I did not also like to confide in my neighbour too. On the whole it was little okay not as serious as of now. I used to like going out to temples and fairs. I also liked doing embroidery, which I learnt, but I never liked to converse with people. Though I liked the company of friends and people. Now I feel I am better, if not fully okay. I was not taking medicines when I was at X, only tranquilisers. I used to get some sleep and at times no sleep. At X that is what I said. I used to lose tempers and some of the family, like Y, used to abuse me and with all these I felt very insulted and low in my moods. Papa also was not that agreeable to me and he was that dominating kind of person whom I could not easily cope with. Even he used to lose his tempers.
Diese Geschichte stammt aus der September 16, 2016-Ausgabe von FRONTLINE.
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