Almost a third of mentally ill patients in rural areas go to ‘faith healers’ for a cure. With just 5,000 psychiatrists and even fewer clinical psychologists in the State, faith healers do brisk business.
Psychiatrist Prof. P. Krishna Mohan says 30 per cent of patients suffering from mental disorders in rural areas go straight to faith healers for help.
There are even some healing centres where faith healers recite prayers and even make patients perform rituals.
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The startling revelation is that 10 per cent of patients in urban regions also approach faith healers for relief.
There is a small percentage who try both.
They take tablets and tie the talisman, Dr. Krishna Mohan says.
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There are two factors that encourage relatives to take patients to faith healers. The first is poor awareness and the second, financial constraints, he adds.
While between 20 and 30 per cent of the entire population suffer from some kind of mental disorder, between 4 per cent and 5 per cent of them behave violently.
This includes schizophrenia, bipolar disorder and acute psychosis. Calm patients are either locked up or in worst cases chained, he says.
“Placebo-effect”
There are some Government Mental Hospitals where violent patients are kept locked.
According to norms, no patient should be kept locked up or in isolation for more than 15 days.
Alluri Seetharama Raju Medical (ASHRAM) College Clinical Psychology Department head Prof. M. Sasikiran, says some patients who go to faith healers get better because of the “placebo-effect”.
“One of my patients who was suffering from chronic depression coupled with panic attacks came to me after the faith healing failed,” he said.
The theme for the World Mental Health Week, ending on October 10, was ‘Dignity in Mental Health’. World Health Organisation chose the theme to stress the importance of treating mentally ill with dignity. Psychiatrists and psychologists organised programmes during the week to educate the public about treating the mentally ill with dignity.