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.