Kenya’s Mentally Ill Locked up and Forgotten

This is a great video and article Deb sent me. Thanks Deb!!

The 10 mins documentary “Locked up and forgotten”:

http://edition.cnn.com/video/#/video/international/2011/02/28/wus.locked.up.forgotten.bk.a.cnn

In developing countries, the mentally ill are often locked up, forgotten, and neglected.

Here, you see Thomas Matoke’s home where he has been tied up to a bed with limited activity for over 30 years.

Here is the CNN article: http://edition.cnn.com/2011/WORLD/africa/02/25/kenya.forgotten.health/index.html

There are 2 additional short clips at the bottom of the article:

1) Joseph’s grim story

Joseph was severely disabled at birth. His condition has deteriorated throughout the years due to neglect. Joseph’s mom has been consumed by his care for over 40 years.

2) Rare glimpse of Mathari hospital in Kenya 

Patients are crammed in small dorms. Some patients claim to have been raped by other patients while the hospital staff does nothing.  

6 year old Girl with schizophrenia loses touch with reality

This is from an episode of Oprah. I was quite skeptical before seeing this since kids often have imaginary friends. But it seems like this family was quite resistant to treating their daughter Jani, and only started to get help when her hallucinations started to cause her to become violent (at age 5). Jani has already tried to kill herself and harm others. She is on the treatment of last resort for adult schizophrenics! 

In part 2, you get to see her psychiatrist describe her schizophrenia. 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eXWaNQdyBFg&NR=1

In part 3, you get to see Jani’s best friend, another young girl suffering with schizophrenia. They met in the psyche ward. 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kWg2HLoAH_I

Battling the Booze

This is a 45 mins documentary following the lives of Australians battling the addiction. Only the first 10 mins are available on youtube. It’s just enough time to get a glimpse of Ian Dickson’s battle with the booze (he’s one of the judges on Australian Idol). 

The damage alcohol causes far outweighs the combined effects of all illicit drugs.  Studies show that like most addictions, it is highly correlated with a family history of addiction. Alcohol contributes to 12% of suicides and 25% of mental illness.

Sybil- A true story about an extraordinary young woman

Part 1: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m1_Z6-v4uT0

Part 2: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1vANyDFgjZU&NR=1

It’s a true story about a girl who endured a traumatic childhood resulting in her developing 16 different personalities, each with a different name, age, and attitude. Some of her personalities were male as well!

The clips above give a good synopsis of the movie if you don’t have the time to watch the entire film. 

You can find the complete film with divided parts here: 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IyxX2fRI93Q&feature=related

There’s an older version of the movie made in 1976 which can be found on youtube as well. 

Beware, the music is somewhat creepy! 

"Case of young man tied to wall sparks national debate in Netherlands"

Just thought everyone should see this article! (Click title)

Rape- Caring for the Adult Female Victim

This is an educational video about how to care for a victim of rape. Notice how the nurse and doctor communicate to try to restore a feeling of control in the victim. 

Much of the first part of the video focusses on the physical examination and how the medical team gathers evidence. 

Starting at 26:30, you get to see the counseling portion of the victim’s treatment. 

I think this part is particularly helpful to watch! 

It is estimated that 1 in every 5 women will be sexually assaulted in her lifetime. However, I've seen some sites showing even higher estimates. The rate is often higher in developing countries! 

Many victims only open up about it years after the rape has occurred, in part because the victim often feels ashamed and embarrassed. 

I hope this gives some insight into how to communicate with a victim of profound psychological harm. 

Beating the Black Dog: Depression

1 in 5 suffer from depression of various forms, and many more will suffer at least one bout during their lifetime. It is also estimated that roughly 15% of depressed people are dangerously on the brink of suicide. 

This clip decodes prevalent myths about depression. Many of the most gifted people throughout history have suffered from mental illnesses. Darwin, Lincoln, and Churchill all suffered from depression. 

The clip depicts Kate O’Connor, a gifted and well-rounded girl who had her first bout of depression 6 weeks into the start of University. 

You’ll see the first 10 mins of this 45 mins documentary which pretty much wraps up her story.