Hamidullah has lived with epilepsy for 5 years.
His condition used to have a severe effect on his life. In the last 2 years, however, things have improved for him.
Like many other people with epilepsy in Afghanistan, the stigma attached to the disease often causes more problems for Hamidullah than the disease itself. He explains, “Some people say I have an evil spirit. Some people think I am not fast, but am slow. Some people think I am making excuses for myself. When I tell them that I have a medical condition, perhaps they don’t believe me.” This kind of stigma makes life more difficult for Hamidullah–he has to be able to explain his condition to other people and try to get them to change their minds about what they believe about him.
One thing that has helped Hamidullah are the billboards with Mental Health slogans displayed through Herat city by IAM’s Community Mental Health Project (CMHP). For example, when we asked Hamidullah to explain his condition in his own words he told us, “It is written on billboards in the city as ‘mergi’ (Persian word for Epilepsy). That is the problem I have. In my family we call it ‘mergi.’” He told us that slogans saying things like “There is no shame in having mental health problems” and “Mental Health problems are treatable” give him hope and help him to explain to people around him about his epilepsy.
After seeking help at IAM’s Mental Health Clinic, Hamidullah experienced another positive change.
He is now taking continuous medication and has only had 3 seizures since taking this medication. This means he can attend school, ride a bike, work part-time as a mechanic and go out with his friends. The connection between raising public understanding of Mental Health together with IAM helping to provide quality, multidisciplinary services in Mental Health has ensured that people know where to go when they need professional help. The successful treatment of people like Hamidullah also demonstrates to communities that treatment is effective for these conditions and encourages more people to go for treatment.
Hamidullah told us about how he was able to access help at the clinic. “I went to see a mullah and he told me that I need medicine, not prayer. Most patients like me go to see mullahs, even I went, but it didn’t change anything. The mullahs told me to get medicine.”
A friend of Hamidullah’s mother had received successful treatment for a Mental Health disorder in the past. This friend recommended he attend the IAM clinic. Recent focus group interviews with mullahs from the West of Afghanistan show that IAM’s training of mullahs over the last 5 years has made a difference. Now, mullahs recommend patients attend clinics for treatment.
Reducing the Stigma
Hamidullah shared that IAM’s activities reducing stigma and encouraging people to seek help for their problems are important for him. In his view, more people need to be more active so that people in communities know how to help those with mental health disorders and epilepsy. For him, the most important messages were that there is treatment available and that the treatment is effective. He also shared that messages need to be written in simple language. He explained, “Some TV slogans are in too high Persian to be understandable. My brother is illiterate and I have to translate for him. For example, if they use the word for research, he asks me to translate for him.”
Through relationships with people such as Hamidullah up to the Minister for Mental Health in the central government, IAM’s Community Mental Health Project works to bring changes in attitudes, behaviour, relationship and policy for people living with mental health disorders in the West of Afghanistan.