Dr. Ganesan Evening Presentation IMHO Convention 2010

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Mental Health of Post War North

Ganesan 31. 4. 2010

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• These are challenging issues I am raising here • They have been challenging me for some time • I hope this leads to self reflection and sensitive response by the community

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Why Am I Raising These Here?

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Back home depressed, disempowered

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Lack of leadership

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Lost path, poor knowledge

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You have seen the world

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Good technical knowledge

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Most importantly – part of us with the will to help

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The human being is transformed through changing his/her reality, by means of an active process of dialogue in which there is a gradual decoding of the world, as people grasp the mechanisms of oppression and dehumanisation.

This opens up new possibilities for action.

The new knowledge of the surrounding reality leads to new self-understanding about the roots of what people are at present and what they can become in the future.

Martin Baro, Social Psychologist killed by Armed Forces at El Salvador in 1989.

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Before we Think of Where We want to Reach •

Where are we now?

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How did we get here? - leave it to historians

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Where Are We Now •

Past – Poor understanding of citizenship, less knowledge of world affairs, secretive, paranoid, poor leadership

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Recent past – grief, loss of home, loss of trust, loss of a future, injury, loss of limb, orphans, single parent families, camp life, abuse

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Present – no civil amenities, no leadership, no employment, protection, structures weak, lack of experienced and qualified civil servants, fear

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Why Talk of Mental Health?

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It is fundamental for (contended) living

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For society to function well

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It is not about mental Illnesses or psychiatry

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It is not about psychiatric services

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So then what is mental health?

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"If the foundation for a people's mental health lies in the existence of humanizing relationships, of collective ties within which and through which the personal humanity of each individual is acknowledged and in which no one's reality is denied, then, the building of a better and more just society, is not only an economic and political problem; it is also essentially a mental health problem".

Martin-Baro,

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What is............. •  'Mental health' properly describes a sense of well-being: the capacity to live in a resourceful and fulfilling manner, having the resilience to deal with the challenges and obstacles which life presents.

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Mental health: a state of well-being Mental health is defined • as a state of subjective well-being in which • every individual realizes his or her own potential, • can cope with the normal stresses of life, • can work productively and fruitfully, and • is able to make a contribution to her or his community.

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Positive mental health Positive mental health is about: • feeling in control • being able to make rational decisions • being in touch with our feelings • being able to form positive relationships • feeling good about ourselves • knowing how to look after ourselves

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Some of The Mental Health Problems •

Loss and grief

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Minorities

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Disability

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Trauma

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Widow / widower

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Conflicts / resolution

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Orphans

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Poor problem solving

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Domestic violence

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Suicide

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Intellectual disability

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Lack of empathy

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Poverty

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Drugs and alcohol

Community action (restricted to family)

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Abuse

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Volunteer-ism

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regionalism

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Belief systems

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To Address Mental Health Problems •

Humanistic values

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Value life

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Respect diversity

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Civic responsibility

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Respect law

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Rights-based approach

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5 key areas of work • • • • •

building healthy public policy reorienting health & other services developing personal skills creating supportive environments strengthening community action

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Some Small Examples from the past •

Consumer empowerment

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Intellectual disability

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Medical Model •

Tertiary prevention

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Secondary prevention

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Primary prevention

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Tertiary prevention •

Disability services

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Support to single parent families

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Rehabilitation of persons affected by war

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What about livelihood?

What about the future of this child?

How will this family rebuild their lives without support?

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Secondary Prevention •

Good health services

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Educational system to meet diverse needs

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Corrective environment

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Primary Prevention •

Primary health care

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Good educational system

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Social services

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Democracy

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Care of vulnerable individuals – orphans

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The latest UN figures show that 160,000 houses in northern Sri Lanka have to be repaired or rebuilt as the conflict-displaced return to their home areas.

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Current available funding allows for the repair and reconstruction of just 22,120 units.

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•  Lanista & Newton

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The Time of Need •

The time to help

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The need will be there for a long time

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Key areas – Keep the family – Health – Education – Income generation

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Mechanism carefully decided

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In Conclusion •

IMHO has been a great support to us in the past

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I don't think the community has undergone this amount of trauma ever in the past

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But this is also time for hope, healing and rebuilding a new future

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This is the time for us to show solidarity with the people Vanni and the rest of the NE

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I am sure IMHO will lead the way