In this interesting article, director of The University of British Columbia (UBC) Global Reporting Centre, Peter Klein shares how mental illness is perceived and treated in countries around the globe including India, Togo, Benin, and Somalia.
While those who inhabit the Western world may question the traditional healing methods employed in these countries and consider them to be futile if not harmful treatments founded upon little evidence, Klein shows us that we are not exempt even in Europe or North America with our beliefs in myths and harmful stigmatizing views of mental health conditions.
"We fear what we don’t understand, and the bottom line is that we still don’t understand many of the causes, or the treatments, of psychiatric conditions. As a result, we are plagued with shame around mental illness all over the world, but stigma is just the symptom. Ignorance is the cause. Science and education are the cure."
While those who inhabit the Western world may question the traditional healing methods employed in these countries and consider them to be futile if not harmful treatments founded upon little evidence, Klein shows us that we are not exempt even in Europe or North America with our beliefs in myths and harmful stigmatizing views of mental health conditions.
"We fear what we don’t understand, and the bottom line is that we still don’t understand many of the causes, or the treatments, of psychiatric conditions. As a result, we are plagued with shame around mental illness all over the world, but stigma is just the symptom. Ignorance is the cause. Science and education are the cure."
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