Posted by Sushant Wagley, as told to him by Dr. Jhapat Thapa
Recently, 27-year old man, accompanied by his father, came to Bayalpata Hospital to visit our outpatient department. They brought along a bag full of prescription medications, old medical charts, and CT images of the young man’s brain. During the check-up, the father informed us that his son wanders alone around the house while talking to himself. The patient told us that he hears voices calling and sees figures at a distance. An examination of his previous charts and medications revealed that the patient had been taking anti-psychotic medications for the past seven years. We suspected a diagnosis of schizophrenia for this patient.
Due to the lack of information about severe mental health disorders in the general population, it was difficult to explain the diagnosis and its consequences to the patient and his father. Even though the father had already talked to multiple doctors in both India and Nepal, he did not fully comprehend his son’s diagnosis. We explained to him that his son would have to continue his medications for the rest of his life. The patient had a 3-4 month supply of the necessary medications and would need to go to Dhangadhi, a 10-hour bus ride from Bayalpata, for this life long drug since we do not currently provide the appropriate medication. We referred the patient to a psychiatrist in Dhangadhi who would be able to provide better comprehensive care.
Unfortunately, mental health in Nepal, as well as many countries around the world, is a field that has been generally neglected. A proper mental health system is lacking in Nepal and psychiatric diagnoses are often correlated with “madness”. The stigma and lack of awareness about different mental health issues, ranging from depression to schizophrenia, adds to the difficulty of living with such disorders and treating them. As we expand our services at Bayalpata Hospital, we need to closely examine the feasibility of providing mental health care.
wonderfully written.
A life with Schizophrenia.
I was diagnosis with schoizophernia( in year 2003) with the great help of qualified Indian doctor. I India i got free medical serves for month as my father served Indian army.
After coming to Nepal(2005) my medical treatment had been stopped because of non availability of medicine and later because of family as my elder sister marriage was approaching at same years.
Now after almost three and half years. If i look back i come to one simple conclusion
“necessity is mother of new discovery of life”
The doctors of developed nation will be greatly surprised. The treatment of schizophrenia is possible with self control. Although i don’t have any interaction with any related psychiatrician form last three and half years.
Dear Mars’,
We are sorry to hear that you were diagnosed with Schizophrenia but it is good to hear that you are feeling better.
However, quite a bit of medical evidence suggests that what happened in your case is extremely unusual. As you are aware, schizophrenia is a very serious disorder and is rarely cured without pharmacological or psychotherapy treatment – this has found to be true in both wealthy and poorer countries.
For the majority of schizophrenia cases, the current obstacles for treatment that we are seeing rural Nepal (which you also alluded to) are overwhelming and dangerous for the patient.