Bring Mental Health Care to Cambodians

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.