Our attitude towards mental illness is one where we are happy to post hashtags on #mentalhealthmatters, but perhaps, we have yet to establish comfort zones where we can accept, understand & allow such individuals to co-habit & share spaces with us. Why do we have to place these people in ‘safe areas’ or relegated as ‘crazy when all they need is, a little more love, care, attention & an acceptance that although they might never recover, they can lead a fulfilling life with life time medication & care amidst us.
Families Who Struggle To Cope With The Mentally Ill
Saraab has attempted to throw light on the trauma suffered by a person afflicted by Schizophrenia (and mental illness) in our society as well as the intense challenges faced by a family who wants to give help and support, as well as a family who fails to understand or inform themselves of the illness.
Our Cultural Conditioning To Resort To Prayers Without Medication
Saraab also shed light on the impulse to solve mental illness with taaweez etc. while there is power in prayers, medical intervention cannot be replaced & can mean a matter of life & death. Our inherent conditioning to resort to taaweez & dua for mental health treatment has consistently delayed medical treatment for mental illness. Because we are ignorant of the challenges & condition in itself, we fear its manifestation, and react in irrational ways to deal with it.
Why relatives & Friends Might Need To Seek Therapy As Well
No matter how much we love someone, and want to help them through their illness, love alone might not solve everything. In fact, we might be (unknowingly) contributing towards the damage rather than healing, because we could be approaching the disease in, or reacting the wrong way.
Managing & tending to someone with a mental illness can be a very emotionally draining & traumatic life experience. We might need to seek therapy ourselves in order to help us help them better (and keep our own mental health intact).
Watch The Final Episode of Saraab
According to an estimate, nearly 50 million people in Pakistan suffer from a mental disorder. That’s nearly 25% of the population. In Pakistan, mental illness is stigmatized, relegated with black magic or to the evil spirit of the person or witchcraft, and families have resorted to visiting shrines to treat the afflicted person. Many hide the fact that a family member suffers for fear of being shunned or ostracized from society.
(source: The NEWS)
We recommend you to just watch the final episode of Saraab which will give you a flavour of exactly how we can try to understand individuals who suffer from, & their loved ones who try to care for those suffering from mental illness. It might bring you one step closer to understanding the sensitivities that are involved in a very complex issue. Mental illness exists, and just because we don’t talk about it doesn’t mean we can wish it away.
Before you close the chapter on this one, ask yourselves if you will welcome a child afflicted by mental illness to befriend yours – that’s just a beginning.
.A big shout out to Edison Idrees Masih for giving us this story. Sonya Hussyn depicted a commendable portrayal of Hoorain – a person suffering from Schizophrenia & Sami Khan as Asfandyar matched the helplessness of a loved one who wants to give them all the love & support they need. It is heartening to see mainstream actors take on life issues and help make Mental health conversations more meaningful & real.
May we be a source of support & strength for those who need our help, rather than shunning them to the peripheries of society while we pretend they don’t exist – because, like we said, we can’t, and we shouldn’t wish them away…that is what being human is all about.
