Hesperian Health Guides
Mental Illness (Psychosis)
A person with any of these signs may have a mental illness, especially if they happen often or interfere with daily life:
- She hears voices or sees or hears things that others do not see or hear (hallucinations).
- She begins to have ideas that are not true (delusions) which make her act in dangerous ways or affect her relationships— for example, she thinks that loved ones are trying to rob her.
- She no longer cares for herself—for example, she does not get dressed, clean herself, or eat.
- She acts strangely and there is no explanation for why she is acting so differently.
Along with needing treatment, any person with a mental illness should be treated with kindness, respect, and dignity.
If you notice someone acting differently than usual, consider if community beliefs or traditions can explain it rather than mental illness. For example, if a woman says that she received advice in a dream, she may be drawing upon traditional sources of knowledge and guidance, not suffering from mental illness.
Getting care for mental illness
Although in most places family members care for a person with a mental illness, it is best to also have advice or treatment from a trained mental health worker. In some situations, medicines are necessary but they should never be the only treatment.
Traditional healers can also play an important role in treating mental illness. If they come from the same community as the person with the problem, they may know and understand her. Some healers also have treatments or rituals that can help a woman overcome her problem.
Ask these questions before deciding on a treatment:
- What is the purpose of each step in the treatment? What is likely to happen as a result?
- If the person is not a danger to herself or others, can she get mental health care while living at home or living with others in her community?
- Will the family be involved in the treatment?
- Is the person providing treatment respected in the community?
- Do any of the treatments cause physical harm or shame?
If someone must be treated in a hospital, always ask to see it before leaving her there. Make sure that the hospital is clean, that patients are safe and can have visitors, and that they will get regular treatment with trained mental health workers. Patients should be free to move about unless they are a danger to themselves or others. Also, find out what must be done to have the person let out of the hospital later.