Dignified status to the mentally ill

Manju GUNASEKERA

No psychiatrist or psychologist even can escape becoming mentally ill. Today, living in a chaotic world our stress limits have exceeded. According to the Thomas Szasz mental illness is created by society. This fact indeed is very true, as one cannot live alone in this mundane world. We are always being influenced by others in the society in which we live. Of course, the psychiatrists and psychologists believe on the diathesis-stress model to mental illness.

Even today, the Buddha is the greatest psychiatrist and psychologist. Buddhism has dealt with the fact that all lay persons are in fact mentally ill. (Sabbe Puttajjana Unmattaka). According to the Buddha, this is due to three main roots of conflict in us namely, Lobha (greed), Dwesha (hatred) and Moha (delusion).

When reading on the Buddha's attitude to mental health and treating the mentally ill, he was a great Counsellor. The Buddha could and knew to counsel those in distress with the proper way for each individual and even gave certain practical exercises to some to understand the true nature of life. One was Kisagothami who was mourning and mentally deranged due to the loss of her child. She was asked by the Buddha to go and bring some mustard seeds from a house that has never experienced death of a family member. Finding no mustard seeds, by this, she understood at the end that death was a common phenomena.

The Buddha knew which method of counselling to be used to each individual separately.

When considering the case of Kay Jamison Redfield, she had manic-depression since her teen years. Anyway finally, she became an expert in the fields of psychology and psychiatry as her experience made her understand others better. Her sayings were useful even when formulating the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders. However, the DSM has its own loop holes in reliability and validity. Kay also received many awards. Her book, "An unquiet mind" was useful to people of mental health field too. In it, she expresses that kind words are more important than drugs for a mental patient.

In Doolittle's research study on Depression in Urban Clinics it was found that patients expect or like their doctors to talk more on spirituality. So, mental health clients need more spiritual care, while doctors and psychologists should practice the spiritual approach. The Government has the ability of implementing and encouraging Metta Bhavana and Vipassana Meditation on all other sectors as well.

It is very interesting to note that Ian Stevenson found that the mentally ill in this birth in fact have been descendants from good realms in their past births. Buddhism talks about heavens, brahmalokas and such good realms. When these extremely sensitive beings are born into this world they are easily prone to mental illness.

Today, it is heartening to know that the Government has changed the name of the Angoda Mental Hospital as the Institute for Mental Health. Indeed it is high time that we all should change our attitude towards these special beings who have descended from Astral Worlds. The social stigma that they experience should be avoided. No wonder these Astral beings very pure and sensitive have fallen a pray to the harsh words and action of this human society. Whatever the religion one belongs to, a spiritual approach to mental health should be considered with due respect. This suits our culture too. Hence, let us all change our attitude and give the mentally ill a more dignified place.

(The writer a full bright scholar is Senior Lecturer in Psychology at the University of Peradeniya)