Physical Health Cambodia Project #21647

Bring Mental Health Care to Cambodians

by Cambodia Transcultural Psychosocial Organization

Project Report | Nov 6, 2023
4months baby living with chained monther

By TPO Cambodia | Project coordinator

A message was reported to TPO’s page about a case with 18 years who has been chained for over 03 years by her family. When TPO team arrived in Kampong Cham province, where the patient was staying, and then contacted by calling, her mother responded that her daughter who are mentally ill patient cut the chain and disappeared for 02 days. She heard that her daughter fled to Phnom Penh by a taxi.

Two weeks later, the mother called and informed that she had found out her daughter and brought back home. While TPO team reached at the patient's home, she was locked up at the back of the house on a bamboo shelf near a tree. Her family is poor.

When communicating with her, some questions she was able to answer, but some questions were not. She is hearing voice, and that voice ordered her to go to Phnom Penh in order to find his father, who passed away since she was 4 years. She has less sleep at night, talking alone, singing alone and aggressive behavior.

Initially her psychiatric signs and symptoms are more serious, she was referred to see psychiatrist at the provincial hospital, and received medicine for treatment. After taking medicine for nearly year, the side effects were severe, so the mother decided to stop taking medicine and left behind. At the age of 16, she cut the chain and fled to Phnom Penh. While she was in Phnom Penh, she was raped by unknown man and had pregnancy. She took a birth, girl with 14 months old. The patient daughter looked malnutrition.While her daughter was 4 months, she was in prison for 07 months which was accused of stealing someone’s cell phone. The patient's mother felt hopeless for recovery, after she dropped out treatment done by provincial hospital, because of side effect of medicine. Her mother felt hopeless with treatment.Currently she initially has received medical treatment from TPO. We hope that she will recover soon because she is still young and the medicine prescribed is the latest modern medicine.

Attachments:

4_months_old_baby_with_chained_mother.docx (DOCX)

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Jul 10, 2023
As long you live, there is hope

By Mr Seang Leap | Project Coordinator/Psychologist

A big man, 32 years, with messy hair sleeping in a bed with dirty mosquito net in a hay cottage where has bad smell. One side of his leg is chained to the pillar of the hay cottage and his both arms are chained as well. His mother told that her oldest son has had severe mental illness for almost 20 years.

His grandmother said that he once fell in love with a girl when he was still a student. They communicate with each other through letters. But then, the girl abandoned him. He was heart-broken and very sad and then he became neurological disorders. At that time, he was lost in his mind, he didn't eat rice or drink water even though food was served for him.

His family seek help from traditional medicine and modern medicine, then he was better. After that he could be healthy enough to go back to work at the rice farm with his parents for a year, however, he was relapsed.

He was referred to see doctor at referral hospital for medical treatment, but he was not better. His mother become poor because of expense money for his treatment, both traditional and medical approaches. Finally, the money was spent much for his treatment with less effectiveness, their hope has gone, they decided to drop out for treatment.

His signs and symptoms become more serious. He damaged banana trees, mango trees, all things including: plates, large pot, and all kitchen supplies.

After he committed violence on his mother and other family members, people feel frighten caused his aggressive behavior. After that, he throwed rocks and bricks at the houses of his grandma and his neighbors. He was chained with the support from commune police. Even though one side of his legs was chained to the pillar, he could throw rocks and bricks at others and neighbors’ house. His family decided to lock up him with his both arms. He was chained for over 10 years.

After receiving treatment from TPO treatment team, he was better slowly, however he was calmer and could fall a sleep at night, less aggressive. Then neighbors are brave to approach him. After receiving treatment for a year, He had better insight, his family decided to remove the handcuffs.

The treatment for him spent for longer time, for over 4 years. As result he was recovered and then was released and integrated into his family.

His family members have never expected anyone come to help him. They felt very excited for his recovery. They thanked TPO and all individual donors who save him from serious mental health illness.

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Mar 14, 2023
My life seems to be born again

By Mr Seang Leap | Project Coordinator/Psychologist

She is 33 years old with three siblings living in Battambang province. Her family has been poor, work as laborers for supporting their family. When TPO team arrived, she shouted, pointed, sang, and behaved violently.With dirty clothing, one leg was chained attached to the pillar of the cottage, and the other leg was swollen because she tied up with string by herself. Her mother described emotionally that her family had been suffered and problematic since her daughter became mentally ill. She could not communicate and had no insight.

At the age of seven, she was abused sexually by a man and threatened to kill her life if she dared to tell anyone. The man abused her for several times and no one cared what she told even though she tried informing them. At that time, she was almost very fear, terrible and shocked.

At the age of 16, in grade 8, she was moved to new place. The road to school is difficult to travel and she went to school by boat. She was also physically and emotionally abused by her brother and parents. At the age of 19, some of hers friend in the village got married and asked to be bridesmaid for their marriage for 2 times. In the second time, she felt shocked and terrible because the makeup artist physically harassed her, reminding her of her childhood’s abuse. She could not continue her studies and dropped out of 11th grade at the age of 19.

At that time, her signs and symptoms disturbed her more frequently such as bizarre behaviors, and can’t be communicable. Her parents took her to see some traditional healers and applied harmful approaches for treating her. These made her illness more serious, however she can’t resist. She tried running away from home, and she was forced to back home and beaten physically by her brother because of running away. The treatment of traditional healers seems to be less effective and more severe and costly.

More than a month later, her father took her to a health center for treatment. The treatment her seemed more effective and made her to recover from her symptoms. Later she stopped taking the medicine, she was relapsed with some symptoms: aggressive behaviors, yelling, cursing, destroying property and run away from home.So her father concerned of her safety and compensation for her action, her family decided to lock up or chain her.

After receiving treatment for a month, her condition improved and she was able to communicate politely with others. For 2 months later she recovered from signs and symptoms, her family decided to release her. Now she can do housework, such as cooking, washing clothes and keeping the house clean.

Her parents can spend time earn extra money with feeling secured about her.

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