Bring Mental Health Care to Cambodians

After receiving information on Facebook, requested for help, the TPO team reached to the patient's home. When walking in about 10 meters away, a young woman screamed and threw objects at TPO therapists.

The female patient, 32 years, is a daughter of widow and lives in poverty under the veranda of a relative’s house. The mother works as a seller for children at public primary school for earning very small income to pay for medicine fee at private doctor in neighboring district. Patient’s mother said her daughter is a good person, diligent in learning and also a source of support for her in old age. But everything turned out to be hopeless after her daughter became seriously mentally ill.

The patient has been suffering from mental illness for 10 years and she was referred to mental health of public hospital in Phnom Penh and many traditional healers, but did not get better and then her mother felt hopeless to be relieved. In the last three years, her daughter's illness has worsened, and she has been violent, beating her mother and anyone who comes near her.

For preventing everyone safely, her mother decided to lock up or chain her with the cooperation of local authorities and neighboring villagers. She was chained for three years.

At the first session, the patient was unable to communicate. She does not sleep, shouts, curses, no insight, talk alone, no longer knows his mother, and paranoid.

After receiving treatment for three months, the patient was better from signs and symptoms of psychosis, then her mother decided to unchain her. Meanwhile, the provincial authorities built the house for this family with donation of land from his relatives as well issued legal letter for house possession.

The patient’s mother thanked TPO and individuals who donate to TPO for providing treatment for mentally ill patients who are chained or locked up, giving her family life new hope.

A man, 30 years, sitting alone on the pitiable bed under an abandoned house with no cover. He is strong and energized, with both legs were chained and attached to the pillar of the house. His mother decided to lock him up by chain because she concerned about the dangers caused by his violent behavior. He has been chained for five months ago.

When you look at a behind side of the house, we see a small room that is constructing almost finished. The shocking news is that this room was donated by relatives to build this room for lock him up.

He had a serious mental illness more than three years ago after a motorcycle accident. His initial signs and symptoms include ran away, red eyes, poor insight, talking alone, poor sleeping, headache, waving his head, laugh without reason, restless behavior and holding a stick in his hand.

At that time, he pulled his mother to crash the car for being died together. Meanwhile his mother took him to the provincial hospital and some traditional healers, but did not recover. His family felt hopeless for recovery and has no alternative besides they locked him up for safety.

The villagers were terrified of his aggressive behavior because he had a stick in his hand. Finally, the mother decides to chain him with the support from her neighbors.

After he has received treatment from TPO operation unchain project for 16 months, he recovered, and his mother and villagers decided to release him during the traditional Khmer New Year.

The villagers no longer feel afraid of him and express their joy for his recovery. His mother expressed her gratitude to TPO that helped her son recover from his mental health condition and she thanked generous individuals who donate for the mission to save mentally ill patients who are locked up or chained.