Another interesting read about how girls in Tanzania risk living in nearby ghettos which are closer to school than their home towns. Harassment and rape in the ghettos have increased school drop out rates. Those who haven’t dropped out have a difficult time studying and learning due to their constant fear of being harmed.
Saturday, March 5, 2011
Friday, March 4, 2011
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”:
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.
Saturday, February 19, 2011
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.
In part 3, you get to see Jani’s best friend, another young girl suffering with schizophrenia. They met in the psyche ward.
Monday, February 14, 2011
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.
Friday, January 28, 2011
Sybil- A true story about an extraordinary young woman
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:
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!
Sunday, January 23, 2011
"Case of young man tied to wall sparks national debate in Netherlands"
Just thought everyone should see this article! (Click title)
Monday, January 3, 2011
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.
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