Good Will Hunting

मी मानसिक आजाराच्या क्षेत्रात काम करत असल्यामुळे, मला मानसिक आजार, त्यावरील उपचार, किंवा समाज त्या कडे असा पाहतो, त्याचे चित्रपटातून, नाटकातून कसे होते, यात मला रस असतो. ह्या पूर्वी देखील मी त्याबद्दल Movies and Mental Illness ह्या ब्लॉग मध्ये लिहिले आहे. त्यामुळे, जेव्हा Good Will Hunting हा चित्रपट प्रसारित केला जाणार आहे हे कळल्यानंतर तो मी पाहायला बसलो, आणि तो संपेपर्यंत उठलोच नाही. असे क्वचितच होते.

कथा घडते ती अमेरीकीतील बोस्टन ह्या शहरात. नायक गणित विषयात अतिशय बुद्धीमान आहे(प्रसिद्ध भारतीय गणिती रामानुजनसारखी प्रतिभा आहे, असेच त्यात दाखवले आहे). पण हा नायक हार्वर्ड विद्यापीठात शिकत नसतो तर, तेथे साफ-सफाई कामगार म्हणून काम करतो. विद्यापीठातील एका नामांकित गणित प्राध्यापकाला त्याची प्रतिभा उमजते. पण त्याला हेही समजते की हा काही मानसिक आजाराने ग्रासला आहे(लहानपणीच्या काही अनुभवांमुळे), आणि त्याला समुदेशन देऊन, त्याच्या प्रतिभेच्या लायकीचे त्याला काम करण्यास उद्युक्त करावे अश्या नेक विचाराने, त्याला समुदेशनासाठी वेगवेगळया ठिकाणी घेवून जातो. पण आपला नायक काही त्यांची डाळ शिजून देत नाही. त्याला एकदा तर संमोहन तज्ञाकडे देखील घेवून जातो. तेथेही नायक धमाल करतो. मग शेवटी तो त्याला त्याचा वर्गमित्र असलेल्या प्रसिद्ध समुपदेशकाकडे घेवून जातो. आणि त्यानंतर जे काही घडते ते चित्रपटात पाहायला हवे.  चित्रपटात बोस्टन शहराचे छान चित्रीकरण आहे. मी कधी तेथे गेलो नाही.  रॉबिन विलियम्सने त्या समुपदेशकाची भूमिका यात केली आहे. त्यासाठी त्याला ऑस्कर देखील मिळाले होते. साधारण दोन वर्षांपूर्वी  रॉबिन विलियम्सचे निधन झाले. अतिशय मनस्वी असलेल्या हा कलाकाराने आत्महत्या केली होती असे नंतर समजले. हा चित्रपट पाहिल्यानंतर, आणि विशेषतः त्याची ह्या चित्रपटातील असलेली भूमिका पाहताना, त्याने आत्महत्या केली असेल यावर कसा विश्वास बसावा, नाही का?

Good Will Hunting film poster-Image Courtsey Miramax

Good Will Hunting:scene at Boston Lake Park-Image Courtsey Miramax

मी मानसिक आजार क्षेत्रात Schizophrenia Awareness Association(SAA) या संस्थेतर्फे शुभांकरांचा स्वमदत गट चालवतो. त्यात सामान्य समुपदेशक(lay counselor, facilitator) म्हणून, गटाचा समन्वयक म्हणून काम करतो. येथे आमच्या स्वमदत गटाची महिन्यातून दोनदा भेट होते. त्यावेळेस वेगवेगळ्या अनुभवातून जावे लागते. या चित्रपटातून जसे दाखवले आहे, तसे, अनुभव येत असतात. आपल्याला काही झाले नाही, आपण ठिक आहोत अशी समजूत असते. कोणी तसे दाखवून दिल्यावर, किंवा समुपदेशनाची, उपचाराची गरज आहे असे सांगितल्यास, आगपाखड करणे अश्या गोष्टी घडतात. तसेच, व्यवसाईक समुपदेशकाकडे गेल्यानंतर, समुपदेशनाचा तथाकथित(?) डाव समुपदेशकावरच उलटवणे वगैरे असे प्रकार घडतात. ह्या चित्रपटाच्या निमित्ताने हे सर्व आठवले. आमच्या संस्थेच्या विविध कार्यशाळांत संमोहन, किंवा इतर तत्सम प्रकार मानसिक आजारांत कितीपत उपयोगी पडतात याची चर्चा घडत असते, आणि सर्वसाधारण मत असे असतो की त्याने विशेष फरक पडत नाही. ह्या चित्रपटातून, नायकाला मानसिक आजाराची वेगवेगळी लक्षणे जसे की mood disorder, stress, inferiority complexity, post-traumatic stress disorder इत्यादी संयत पद्धतीने दाखवली गेली आहेत. पण चित्रपटात ह्या पद्धतीने सामुदेशन करताना दाखवले आहे, ते थोडेसे फिल्मी आहे असे म्हणावे लागेल. प्रत्यक्षात, समुपदेशकाने शुभार्थीला धमकावणे, गळा पकडणे इत्यादी प्रकार कसे काय होतील, असा विचार येतो. समुपदेशक आणि शुभार्थी यांचे नाते किती वेगवेगळया पदारांवर असू शकते हे हा चित्रपट नक्कीच दाखवतो.

चित्रपटाच्या नायकाबद्दल थोडेसे. तो आहे प्रसिद्ध अभिनेता Matt Damon. ह्या चित्रपटासंदर्भात असलेल्या विकिपीडिया वर असे लिहिले आहे की Matt Damon नाट्यलेखनाचा अभ्यास करत असताना ह्या चित्रपटाची पटकथा लिहायला सुरुवात केली होती. त्याने ह्या चित्रपटात छान भूमिका केली आहे. त्याने बऱ्याच चित्रपटातून काम केले आहे. नुकतेच असे वाचनात आले की त्याचा नवीन चित्रपट Jason Bourne चीनमध्ये वेगळ्याच कारणाने चर्चेत आहे. ते कारण म्हणजे, तो 3-D चित्रपट ज्या पद्धतीने चित्रित केला आहे, त्याने प्रेक्षकांना डोकेदुखी सुरु होते म्हणे. तर ते असो. मानसिक आजार, व्यक्ती, उपचार अशा गोष्टी असलेल्या अजून बरेच चांगले(तसेच वाईटही आहेत) चित्रपट आहेत. तेही पाहायचेत केव्हातरी.

 

World Schizophrenia Day

Next Tuesday(May 24) is World Schizophrenia Day. Schizophrenia is serious mental illness affecting significant percentage of world’s population. National Schizophrenia Foundation has declared May 24 as World Schizophrenia Day. May 24 is to honor Dr. Philippe Pinel, from France, a major figure in the early efforts to provide humane care and treatment for the mentally ill. Appointed chief physician at the men’s insane asylum in Paris in the late 18th century, Dr. Pinel was horrified to see the patients restrained to walls by chains. Although warned against it, Dr. Pinel took a bold and unprecedented move to remove the chains from the patients on May 24, 1793.

The purpose of this day is to spread awareness about this illness, eradicate the myths and superstitions around mental illnesses in general. Schizophrenia is a psychiatric condition where certain chemical fluids levels in certain areas of brain are out of balance, there by causing lack of co-ordination between thoughts, actions and emotions. The sooner it is detected, better are chances of recovering from it. I have been volunteering and support Schizophrenia Awareness Association(SAA) since 2009 in Pune and have written quite a few blogs on this subject.

In Pune, SAA organizes a public meeting every year on this day, to create public awareness about schizophrenia and other types of mental illnesses. The main feature of the public meeting is Late Aditya Pendse Memorial Lecture delivered by a distinguished personality who has contributed significantly in the field of mental health. Late Aditya Pendse in whose memory the lecture is delivered every year on 24^th May suffered from schizophrenia till the unfortunate end of his life. His sister Vandana also suffered from schizophrenia and died an unnatural death along with her baby daughter.

This year, on Tuesday, the 24^th May, the Late Aditya Pendse Memorial Lecture will be delivered by the distinguished psychiatrist Dr. R Thara, Director Schizophrenia Research Foundation Chennai. The subject of her talk is Mental Illness: Role of Families in Care and Recovery. The public meeting will be chaired by Mr.  Keshav Desiraju, former Health Secretary Government of India. He will speak on State’s Mental Health Initiatives in recent years. This public meeting will be held on Tuesday, the 24^th May 2016 at 4.00 PM. The venue for the meeting is Maharashtra Education Society, Bal Shikshan, Mayur Colony, Kothrud, Pune. You are cordially invited to attend the it as above along with your interested friends and family members. SAA has been arranging this event every year since quite a few years now, and various dignitaries such Achyut Godbole, Anil Awachat, Rama Marathe, Vivek Patel have honored the occasion by addressing the gathering in the past.

In the process of treatment for persons with mental illness(PMI), the medicines and treatment as recommended by psychiatrists is important, and also equally important is counselling via self-help support groups(SHSG). They both play important role in recovery and rehabilitation. The family members who are care givers also need lending hand in this journey. This World Schizophrenia Day, let us all become sensitive to this disease and help people to come out of it.

If you are interested in knowing about mental illness and mental health, please feel free to look into other articles on my blog on this topic. Hoping to hear from you on that.

Petition for life care for persons with mental illness

I have talked on the topic of persons with mental illnesses, and issues related to various aspects of mental health on my blog here. I also volunteer and support Pune based Schizophrenia Awareness Association(SAA) and have been associated with Bengaluru based FACEMi. One of the daunting issues in mental health in the society is supporting persons with mental illness(PMI) during their battle with life, and rehabilitation. The rehabilitation is most of the times a life long process, especially, when a person is suffering from major mental illnesses such as schizophrenia, mania or depression. Providing care and support during this process is absolutely essential. Giving care to PMIs by his/her relatives is something we certainly see happening, but there are challenges in that also, which is another topic for a blog.

The issue I want to talk today here is about related to concern or worry of care givers about care giving their wards after their death. Unless the next set of care givers arise, it is very much possible the PMIs are left stranded with no one to look after them. We often see PMIs left alone on the streets, homeless, with no one to look after them. Of course, many of them are suffering from other illnesses such Alzheimer’s disease or Parkinson’s disease(Recent Marathi movie Astu अस्तु, starred by Dr Mohan Agashe handled this subject).

There are good samaritans in the society like, one doctor couple in Ahmednagar near Pune doing work in this area, by taking care of such stranded PMIs. The name of the organization is Mauli Seva Pratishthan, and is started by Dr Mr and Mrs Dhamane. You may check their website here. But such facilities are going to have their own limitations due to funds and cannot scale all over the country. Even at SAA, during our meetings, we have heard shubhankars(शुभंकर, care givers) raising this concern and the need, many times. SAA is trying to address the issue to its capacity and for the members of the organization. That is also going to have limitations though as said earlier.

So what is the ask here? The government should do something about it. And it is high time for it. FACEMi has been on the forefront in terms of advocating this topic. Is this trending a life sentence or a death sentence? And how long will it take for the government to act? This is the question families and patients numbering almost 80 million in India, suffering from severe and common mental disorders are asking. The government has access to resources and funds to undertake such activity.

Petition for life care for persons with mental illness. Image courtesy: FACEMi petition page on Change.org

The central government Ministry of Health has a network of more than 40 regional mental hospitals, and many more autonomous institutions. The mental hospitals or general hospitals sponsored and supported by state government and municipal corporations having psychiatric department, are also available. I know, the plight of these government mental hospitals is in itself a big topic to discuss and needs to huge improvement. This has been raised on various forums and we keep reading about them in the newspapers.

Regional Mental Hospital, Yerwada, Pune

Anyways, FACEMi has filed petition to seek support from general public on the cause of life care for PMIs, especially, after death of their primary care givers, and lack of willingness or secondary care givers or lack of them. FACEMi wants your support on this petition. I have signed it. I appeal my readers to review and sign it here. This petition  is to make the government take immediate action for providing life care for persons with mental illness and set up a NATIONAL MENTAL DISABILITY LIFE CARE TRUST under the Prime Ministers Office(PMO) so that the buck is not passed on from one ministry (Health) to the other (Disability/Social Justice Ministry) as it is happening at present. There are right now two ways of admitting to these mental hospitals is. One if voluntary, and the other by relatives, with support from court. This process may require changes to allow government authority to identify and admit them, may be with help of court, and treat them. Of course, social organizations working in this area can certainly lend a hand here, but then that also needs to be accommodated in the procedure. These mental hospitals also needs to be enhanced to have special sections such as day care for such PMIs where they are looked after, and helped in the process of rehabilitation.

The organizations such as Change.org are excellent examples of technology can make it easy to bring changes to society by garnering support of the population for the noble and right causes.  Hope this creates change here. Please sign this petition and help to bring this much required change to support persons with mental illness.

Movies and Mental Illness-Part#1

For quite some time, I wanted to write about how people with mental illness(PMI) are depicted in movies and what influence does it have on the society in general. Recently, I read an article in Diwali edition of a magazine on this topic. This blog is loosely based on that article. For ease of reading, I have divided into two parts. I had written about a movie Don Juan DeMarco recently, in which I had watched recently, which has this topic treated very differently.

Anyone who behaves in a socially unacceptable way, is generally termed as mad person. Likewise, for people whom we see street side, lost in their own world, lying on the footpath, untidy, also are referred as mad or retarded people. One does not even realize many times this might be situation of person with mental illness and it needs to be handled differently. The incorrect, irresponsible portrayal, over the years, of such PMIs in fiction, movies, is usually behind such usage of terminology in the society. At the same time, off late, one can also see this trend changing. Mental health related issues, characters portrayal has started getting more real, more scientific, and also more responsible. This is certainly heartening.

The audio visual medium such as movies has huge potential to generate deep psychosomatic, mental reactions among its viewers. They also hold the ability to educate and make society aware of mental health related issues. It is interesting to note that the birth of film media by Lumiere brothers, and hysteria related research by Sigmund Freud, happened in the same year which is 1895. One can say, since then, that films and psychiatry have been going hand-in-hand and influencing each other.

In western countries, during 1950-60, taking psychiatric treatment became socially acceptable. Film media also had starting making use such subjects and topics, mostly in a way as mentioned above, to generate humor, comedy. But since 1980, realistic movies with scientific portrayal and also usage of such issues began. In India also, since 2000, similar trend can be seen. Since this portrayal, which is mainly entertainment oriented, even realistic portrayal can spread inaccurate information, views and stereotypical images about these topics get to the society. The main reason for this is that process of converting personal, family and society forms to film media  is not all that easy. Experiences on the level of thoughts and emotions cannot be very easily captured in visual form.

One can trace the reasons and purpose why PMIs are visualized and depicted. Sometimes it is used to bring thrill, suspense, mystery(Hindi movies Gupt, Bajigar; Enlgish movies Silence of Lambs, Psycho), or humor(English silent movie The Escaped Lunatic, Marathi movie Pedgaoche Shahane). Sometimes, we see such characters are imagined/used, while telling stories of human relationship(Ex. Marathi movie Astu has character of person with dementia, Hindi movie 15 Park Avenue, has character which is impacted due to post traumatic disorder). The movies such as American Beauty has many characters with disorder such as passive aggression, narcissism), Bergman’s movie Through a Glass Darkly dealt with schizophrenia. Many movies, which are biopics of personalities known to be having living with mental illness, still someone who achieved something in their fields. Examples include Beautiful Mind based on John Nash’s life, Lust for Life based on life of Van Gogh, Rain Man based on Kim Peek. Another interesting category of films we have come to notice is that psychiatric treatment being main theme of the films. We have seen this theme in movies such as Devrai(Marathi film starring Atul Kulkarni), Karthik Calling Karthik, Black Swan, etc.

In the next blog, let’s make journey to some other categories of films and how they handled mental illness. Till then, stay tuned, and feel free to share your experiences.

SAA SHSG at YCM Hospital in Pimpri

I have written in the past about Schizophrenia Awareness Association(SAA) and its activities on this blog. As you know, their activities are concentrated mainly in and around Pune city as the center is located in Dhayari in Pune. I and Bhushan, who live in PCMC area, always felt the need for such a center in PCMC area to cater to the needs of shubharthis and shubhankars in this area. When approached SAA officials on the proposal, not only they supported us, but also ensured that we get formally trained in running such groups, and also helping bootstrapping it.

I am glad to inform you that SAA has been running SHSG for shubhankars in collaboration with YCM Hospital in Pimpri for last one year now. Myself, Bhushan, Neelima Bapat, Smita Godse have been involved in coordinating, facilitating and running this group. Guidance, support and help of Dr Kishor Gujar and Prakash Jukantwar has been pivotal in running of this group at YCM Hospital’s premises.

We have begun having SHSG group for shubhakars right now. Later we have plans to start one for shubharthis. Currently, this group meets twice a month(once once first Saturday and later on third Saturday), during 11.45 am to 1.30 pm. We have so far over 50 shubhankars registered and have been availing the facility.

It is needless to say that PCMC area also needed such facility to compliment work of psychiatrists at YCM or other independent practitioners. We, as volunteers of SAA, are encouraged by the response we have got so far.

We will soon be organizing a formal inauguration function. I will update on that as the details are finalized. My sincere appeal to you all is to spread the availability of such facility in PCMC and Pune area to all those unfortunate ones in the society you think need help.

Let’s help those unfortunate ones

I wanted to write on this topic for quite some time…but I decided to sit and finish this today…after I came back from a function(organised as part of World Mental Health Day) I attended at NGO called SAA where I am associated with as volunteer.

SAA is for Schizophrenia Awareness Association, NGO based out of Pune. They run day-care center for helping mentally challenged persons to get rehabilitated since last ten years.

They need your help. And it can be in following forms:

1. Donate to the NGO
2. Help to spread the word about the NGO.
3. Help to refer anyone whom you know suffering and undergoing medical
treatment, to consult them to take their expert help, and be part of rehab
process.

About 1% of the population is affected by schizophrenia, a major mental illness and 4 – 5% with other mental illnesses. Of this only about 25% seem to have access to medical care. Which means, the vast afflicted majority suffers owing to just lack of medical facilities, ignorance, superstition or fear of stigma. Besides, in India there is an awesome dearth of mental health professionals. As for infrastructural facilities for mental health care in our country, much more needs to be done as yet, on priority.

SAA is organization which works on many platforms.

Self-Help Support Group Activities

Meetings for Shubharthis
Many shubharthis have benefitted by participating in our SHG weekly meetings, conducted on the lines of Dr. Abraham Low’s Recovery method. This is a seventy-year old self-help technique based on cognitive behaviour therapy. Four years’ of our consistent efforts have made Recovery Inc., U.S.A., to enlist on their website Ekalavya as a recognised Recovery SHSG available in India.

Playground activity & variety entertainment for Shubharthis
To help shubharthis reintegrate back into the society, an experiment was started with the guidance of mental health professionals and generous gesture of Deccan Gymkhana, one of Pune’s oldest and prestigious physical health & sports promoter. By doing physical exercises, playing games, doing yoga & pranayama, they have been able to recoup much of their alertness and agility, besides socialization. Variety entertainment programme, titled ‘Antaranga’, performed and presented by shubharthis along with volunteers has further boosted their confidence and creativity. Notable among the other programmes are Mrs. Dabke and Mrs. Shinai’s awareness programme “Mana Kalol Kalol.”

Meetings for Shubhankars
Discussion on the topics of interest to caregivers are initiated at the Saturday meetings. Occasionally, outside experts are also invited to speak to them with a view to empower them with knowledge and skills.

Training for Caregivers
Empowering caregivers has been systematically started by holding training programmes for them in places like Pune, Nashik, Ahmednagar, Aurangabad, Dhule, Ahmedabad, etc. In addition, we have also satisfactorily completed a higher level training for a team of volunteers. Many of such resource persons will assist SAA in fulfilling it’s mission of spreading mental health care services. Towards this objective we had planned a three-day residential workshop for prospective support group leaders from different parts of Maharashtra.

Creating awareness

Publishing
To spread right information to more families about schizophrenia and allied mental disorders and their management, a book in Marathi has been published by us. This book, entitled “Schizophrenia, Ek Navi Janeev”(Please click here to post your order), received very encouraging response from cities like, Mumbai, Pune, Ahmednagar, Nashik, Nagpur etc. The same book is also available in Hindi titled “schizophrenia, Ek Naya Ehsaas”. A reference handbook for GPs, under the title “Divided Mind” (Please click here to post your order) has been published in English, containing articles by experts on various aspects of schizophrenia and its management. It is edited by Dr.Ulhas Luktuke, a leading practising psychiatrist of Pune. Many articles were also published in newspapers and magazines of Mumbai, Nashik, Nagpur, besides Pune, resulting in more families coming forward for availing of the services of SAA Ekalavya. Apart from this there are other publications like translated version of the book “Beautiful Mind” that are in process of completion.

sensitizing media persons
None can deny the impact media make on the society today. So to sensitize them to mental health care issues a pilot survey was commissioned by SAA. We plan to inform them suitably so as to enable them project the affected persons more objectively and factually through their work. On the other hand, media support by way of informative articles has already enabled hundreds of shubharthis and shubhankars from all over Maharashtra to know and avail of SAA’s services.

Awareness through films
SAA, along with it’s senior partner, K. S. Wani Memorial Trust, Dhule, produced first-ever feature film, Devrai (Sacred Grove), by a charitable organization on mental health. This movie, which won 17 regional/national/international awards in different categories, proved very appealing both to the professionals and affected families alike. The subsequent one, entitled, Majhi Goshta (My Story), also in Marathi, is a docu-drama in tele-cinematic format. “Very informative, realistic and touching” is the response of most of the viewers. Devrai is already available in vcd/dvd format.
Our latest Marathi feature film, EK CUP CHYA, is on how an ordinary citizen can use the power of RTI to deal with bureaucratic indifference while finding solutions to various challenges in his life. This movie, screened at various international film festivals, recently won the Zee Critics’ Award for best regional feature film of 2009.

Rehab cum Vocational Centre
It is every caregiver’s dream to once again make his shubharthi a self-reliant and confident individual. Therefore towards this objective we had already started this facility at the Kamala Nehru Hospital four years’ ago. About ten had enrolled there. Later on when Kamalini KritiBhavan, our own centre, was ready the rehabilitation activity was offered from Dhayari. This bright and beautiful Swanand Punarvasan Kendra, which has a capacity of 50 shubharthis, has twenty on role and are doing well.

Reaching the vulnerable
Our programmes aimed at youth, the most vulnerable age-group to be affected by Mental Illness, in schools and colleges have had desired impact. This is evident from their willing involvement in such seminars and subsequent voluntary services in SAA-Ekalavya’s activities. Timely and right awareness leads to earlier detection of symptoms, prompt medical intervention and quicker relief.

Other Activities
Growing beyond borders
SAA-Ekalavya is a founder member of India’s apex body of caregivers, the National Federation for Mentally Ill (NFMI) with HO at Chennai. Our delegates were also invited to speak at the international convention hosted by WFSAD at Kyoto-Japan in 2002 and at the Chennai national convention in 2003, again at the international convention at Chennai in November 2004 and at Recovery Inc.’s Leaders’ Training & Annual Meeting at Chicago in May 2005. Based on referrals by WFSAD we have also been encouraging caregivers of neighbouring countries by sharing our experience in SHG formation. Our website also has aroused and satisfied curiosity of netizens.