Group therapy program to help overcome distress

The abuse of alcohol is a widely prevalent phenomenon in Sri Lanka. It is a major contributor to the disease burden of the country.

It’s physical and psychological consequences are many. One must consider the adverse psychosocial effect of the disease on the person and family in greater depth to understand the plight of the family as a whole.

The person deteriorates with regard to physical and mental wellbeing and social function, leading to unemployment. The wives suffer from economic hardships and emotional turmoil and the children develop emotional, behavioral and educational problems.

The stigma attached to alcoholism is profound and the psychological scars that it leaves behind run deep. Spouses who are emotionally affected have no forum to speak to professionals regarding their problems.

This can lead to maladaptive coping and also leads to anxiety, depression and reduced quality of life among them. In turn their relationship with their spouses will deteriorate and they will be unable to help them get appropriate rehabilitation.

Children may get neglected and lose their way in this battle and the whole family would suffer. Therefore it is essential that the spouse is of good mental and physical health to help the whole family to succeed in life.

As a step towards relieving this burden borne by the families who suffer in silence Manasuwa Piyasa, Mental Health Unit, of the Colombo South Teaching Hospital is initiating a group therapy programme for the spouses of people who have alcohol related problems.

Group therapy finds its therapeutic basis through the exchange of ideas and experiences.

This programme also hopes to strengthen the spouse as an individual by enabling their development of assertiveness, coping skills and effective communication. To have a better understanding of medical aspects of alcohol related illnesses and their consequences, one must be knowledgeable about the disease condition.

Therefore information on medical, psychosocial and legal aspects of this disease will be provided along with information regarding service providers.

Spouses who may be faced with this problem but wish to have a normal life and enjoy it should take this opportunity and come forward and learn to cope with this unspoken problem.

The group therapy programme is scheduled to commence on the 16th of May at 9.00 a.m. It will comprise of ten one hour sessions. The places are limited for the first programme and will be allocated on a first come first served basis.

Those interested should present to Manasuwa Piyasa, Colombo South Teaching Hospital for registration on a working day, between 8.00 a.m. to 4.00 p.m. A senior doctor will be available to clarify any doubts and to provide information about the group process.

This endeavour has been taken up by the Professorial Unit of Psychiatry, of the University of Sri Jayewardenepura as part of their social responsibility, with the hope that those who benefit from this programme will carry the message on to others in need.