Bring Mental Health Care to Cambodians

A 41-year-old man lives in rural area of Prey Veng provincehas been chained alone behind the old cottage by his family for more than 20 years. He was chained to one of cement pillars that was to be built for constructing the house. There was no one who could get near him because of his harmful violent behavior. He stays on flat of hill surrounded by streams of water that are flooding the village without clothes. His mother revealed emotionally that when she offered dress to him, he would damage it, when making wooden bed for him to sit on and sleep, he would damage it. As result his life is in terrible situation like this, look like animal.

Before he was sick with schizophrenia, he had been a monk for one year. He became ill at 18 years of age. He then swam across the river, has strange behavior such as talking alone, withdrawal, angry without reason, aggressive commiting violence, making harm with knives at others and his families. His family’s members experienced injury caused by his action. His mother was a widow (her husband had an affair with another woman and left them). Because of being poor and keeping safety, as well she didn’t know where she could access mental health treatment at that time, she decided to chain him with the help from local authorities.

A local NGO which works in this area contacted TPO Treatment mobile team under Operation Unchain Project to provide treatment for this case. He has received from TPO since August 2018 up to now.
So far, the patient has been under treatment for 14 months. Currently, the patient's psychiatric sings and symptoms have improved gradually. He now could be dressed and communicable. He calms down and sleep at night. His relatives can come in to clean up for him and make shelter for preventing from the sun and rain. The team also brought some snacks such as noodles and drinks for this patient. No help from TPO, he has been chained until he dies and his mother has felt guilty for the whole life, his mother said.