About 112, 500 Guyanese presently suffer from mental disorders

Dec 09, 2015 Letters

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Dear Editor,
It is human nature that makes assumptions about tragedies like on June 5th 2015, ranks of the Cane Grove Police Station responded to reports that Junior Gulliver, 30, of Strathavon, East Coast Demerara, who was reported to be “mentally unstable” and the police stated that during their investigations, Gulliver, who was armed with a cutlass, attacked causing the police to resort to the use of force.  He was then shot to his body.  Police officers in Guyana are not trained to respond to people with mental health disorders during episodes where their symptoms are not understood, and can seem aggressive and dangerous to the public.  In a reported case such as this, police officers should be accompanied by a team specialized in dealing with people living with mental health issues the same way ambulances are called for people suffering from heart attacks and strokes.
Like most incidents of this nature in Guyana there are no data available for each case which are unique and contains its own details and leaves its own trail of unfolded pain and travesty.  Statistically if the right type of assessment, treatment and care was provided 90 % of the time those tragedies could have been avoided and evidence would suggest that those individuals could have been helped using numerous proven strategies, and nurtured back into becoming functional contributors to society once again.  It could be tough to digest but if one could only imagine those same unwell people are your children, siblings or even nieces and nephews, then the perception of the incident might shift and a yearn for assistance would be more pronounced instead of resorting to the common “police shoot a mad man”.   However, it is sad to say but the quick act of jumping to conclusions could create even more unnecessary fear and prejudice.
This phenomenon is particularly relevant when explanations involving acts of violence are attributed to mental illness.  This brings me to elaborate on how words have power. On the negative side, the use of certain words phrases may stereotype, stigmatize or promote incorrect conclusions about groups of people.  People are often shocked and do not know how to associate themselves with the unknown or to be perceived as being weak to others in society.   In that reactive anger and disbelief, people tend to use words that can imply an incorrect connection between a mental health condition and the commitment of a horrific crime.   In Guyana it is very difficult to have a comprehensive understanding of these incidents because of the weak data collection system and the lack of available history of previous mental health screening assessments and also the expertise available to accumulate timely assessments carried out by a team of professionals using the right types of evidence based practices.
Given Guyana’s population of about 750,000, this would predict that 75,000 to 112,500 Guyanese suffer from mental disorders and require some level of mental health care services.  Of these, approximately 22,500 to 37,500 would be expected to suffer from severe mental illness.  People living with mental illness continue to have an identity that is beyond diagnosis similar to other medical conditions.  While managing mental illness may be challenging at times-similar to challenges faced by people with diabetes high blood pressure, or other medical illness-there is greater difficulty in getting the treatment needed because of the feeling of shame and stigma surrounding mental illness and the general lack of understanding.  However, the right types of treatment for mental illness works.  Research shows the majority (65-80 percent) of individuals with mental illness will improve with appropriate treatment and ongoing monitoring.
Using words to describe individuals who may be suffering from mental illnesses can continue to perpetuate the notion that those with mental illnesses are violent and should be feared.  The vast majority of people with mental illness are not violent.  Studies suggest a link between mental illnesses and violence, the contribution of people with mental illnesses to overall rates of violence is small, and further, the magnitude of the relationship is greatly exaggerated in the minds of the general population .  The vast majority of people who are violent do not suffer from mental illnesses (American Psychiatric Association, 2003).  People with psychiatric disabilities are far more likely to be victims than perpetrators of violent crime, and people with severe mental illnesses, schizophrenia, bipolar disorder or psychosis, are 2 ½ times more likely to be attacked, raped or mugged than the general population.  Inaccurate beliefs about mental illness and violence lead to widespread stigma and discrimination.  The discrimination and stigma associated with mental illnesses stem in part, from the link between mental illness and violence in the minds of the general public.  The effects of stigma and discrimination are profound, and stigma leads others to avoid living, socializing, or working with, renting to, or employing people with mental disorders – especially severe disorders, such as schizophrenia.  It leads to low self-esteem, isolation, and hopelessness.  It deters the public from seeking and wanting to contribute to care.
Responding to stigma, people with mental health problems internalize public attitudes and become so embarrassed or ashamed that they often conceal symptoms and fail to seek treatment and in Guyana where there is already very little resources allocated towards mental health one can imagine what it must be like for those who are experiencing mental illness in silence and if we are conscious enough to pay close attention we can witness the breakdown of those who fall through the cracks after the clawing for the type of supports they need dwindle before them.  If we expect to reduce the stigma of mental health care, and increase the number of people who can benefit from it, we need to be careful anyone describes them, and understand that words can stigmatize further causing unwanted public reaction.
Abdel Fudadin

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