Scholar released from chains

Soba, a young man in Nepal, was a talented scholar. Headaches were a first sign of mental illness that - through mismanagement - deteriorated. cbm-supported partner Koshish intervened and Soba recovered completely.

Headaches

Soba Lama was born in Kavre district nearby Kathmandu 22 years ago as an eldest son among the five brothers and two sisters. The Lama family is entirely dependent upon the father's income from painting traditional pictures called THANKA.

Soba was very eager in studies, but quite shy in nature. In the beginning of class seven, he suffered from a severe headache. Firstly, the family took him to traditional healer. Instead of being cured, the problem eroded there and he was taken to the local mental health institution to try to manage the problem somehow.

Lapses in medication - deterioration in health

After the completion of School Living Certificate (SLC) examination he joined in the college for higher studies.

Soba was interested in literature and highly influence by the great poet Devkota and his deeds. Rather than his regular studies he was extremely concentrating on poetries is such a manner that he remained careless on his health and sanitation and even discontinued his medicines. Throughout the day he was talking about the poetries written by him and others.

His behaviour gradually changed and disturbances took place in his sleeping/eating. The behaviour of Soba was completely unusual and frighted his family and neighbourhood; so he was taken to a hospital in Kathmandu. However, due to the allocation of 33 pills per day without proper diagnosis his problem deteriorated instead of curing.

Brutal treatment

The institution was behaving in a brutal way in its treatment of Soba, even chaining and locking him on the bed. The psychiatrist even suggested his family taking action against their beloved, as he was violating the peace of society. The Central District Officer (CDO) has power to sentence anyone guilty of this.

Koshish intervenes

Matrika Devkota, president of cbm-supported project Koshish, was familiar with all the inhumane and degrading treatment and punishment of Soba. She was trying for the best of Soba’s mental health, but was taken aback due to the sudden disappearance of Soba from the institution and had almost given up hope. She nearly accepted the advice of psychiatrist that the recovery of Soba was impossible.

Ultimately, after the long effort with the help of the social worker of their home community, Matrika succeeded in rescuing Soba from the imprisonment. Along with her support, Soba was readmitted into other mental health institution with good psychiatrist. He was provided with medical support along with counselling. The process of new treatment enlightened the hope of his parents and relatives. Within one and half months the overdoses of medicine was manage with three pills per day. Soba recovered his mental health completely.

The recovery

Soba was able to rehabilitate and habilitate within his family and community. Moreover Soba continued his education.

He revealed the suffering and degrading treatment and punishment in poems related to mental health awareness. The poetry written by him enlighten us to the dreadful situation in mental health rehab in Nepal. Soba has finally proved himself strong enough to overcome social stigmatization, exclusion and difficulties. At the present time, Soba is also the board member of Koshish, contributing in help for other people who are suffering like he did. He is proof that mental health problems are treatable and manageable, if the person gets the right support from family and society.

Now the family of Soba is really happy that what was far beyond their expectation could eally happen; that the condition they were told was incurable could be cured after all.


Blindness	Orthopaedics	Deafness	Community	Emergencies	Rehabilitation

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Scholar released from chains

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