Psych patients’ day wins community’s support
A CHARITY bazaar to raise awareness of and funds for the treatment of mentally-ill people living in Myanmar at the Yangon Psychiatric Hospital in Mayangon Township, about eight miles from downtown Yangon, attracted hundreds of supporters.“We expect that this event will help the patients forge better relationships with the community and make them feel that they are a part of it,” said Dr Toe Aung, Medical Superintendent of the Yangon Psychiatric Hospital. “It is important that members of the community work to lessen prejudice against mentally-ill patients and encourage them to get involved in the many health activities being carried out at the hospital.”

Guests and patients enjoy complimentary food at the bazaar

Yangon Psychiatric Hospital provides therapeutic treatments to patients and offers them opportunities to engage in meaningful occupational duties such as mat and basket weaving. Many of the patients at the hospital have been the victims of family neglected in the past, explained one medical official at the charity bazaar.“Often, people won’t acknowledge that some one in their family is suffering from a mental illness, and will be embarrassed to talk about him or her to outsiders.”“We try to help our patients regain their self-esteem and help them to learn how to interact socially,” said Dr Zaw Sein Lwin, Deputy Medical Superintendent of the hospital. “Another of our goals is to encourage the families of mentally-ill persons, as well as the wider community, to reduce the tendency to discriminate against these fellow members of society.”

One novel idea adopted by the hospital in the past few years has been a kind of music therapy, in which patients are encouraged to sing and learn new musical instruments. “The more the patients engage in such activities, the more sociable and healthier their minds become,” said Dr Zaw Sein Lwin.“Really, there is no essential difference between normal and mentally-ill people,” he continued. “Their strange behaviour is driven only by their delusions.The way they think just becomes unacceptable to the standard norms of the community.”One of the most interesting sights at the charity bazaar was an exhibition of arts and crafts, including 142 paintings, created by the hospital’s patients.Many of these works received critical acclaim at an exhibition at Yangon’s Lokanat Art Gallery in December of last year.