BREAKING THE SHACKLES Diaries

Stigma towards individuals diagnosed with mental illness is common in many Ghanaian communities. Social isolation or loneliness has been identified as one of the causes of mental health but many persons going through mental health challenges are social outcast and live very lonely life with little or no support from family and friends.  

Research shows that one of the main roots of stigmatisation is the belief that mental illnesses are caused by supernatural forces. Due to such stigma on the family by the society, some people abandon their mentally ill relatives, either locking them away in their homes or leaving them in spiritual camps. 

BREAKING THE SHACKLES (Part 1).

In Ghana, mental disorders are often attributed to supernatural or spiritual causes thereby the limited mental health resources especially in the northern region and community-based services.

Our quest to change the narrative about mental health care in Ghana took us to a farming community in the Gushegu District in the Northern region of Ghana.

The young man (name withheld) who is in his late 20’s returned from Accra after travelling there to seek for a better life. The family said due to his aggressive behaviour, they were compelled to put him in shackles for a year now to restrain him. The team did an assessment on the patient and started a treatment.