Schizophrenic patients seek treatment from occultists

Sumeer Singh

Tribune News Service

Bathinda, July 15

Remember John Nash, a Nobel laureate in Economics from popular Hollywood flick “A beautiful mind” where Russell Crowe brilliantly essayed the role of a schizophrenic patient who wants to thwart a Soviet plot and becomes increasingly obsessive about it. Later, it turns out that he hallucinates people and images that do not really exist. The movie went on to garner four Academy awards.

Later over a period of time with proper medication and counselling, Nash recovered from the disease. But the scenario in the district paints almost a different picture. Picture this: Jaspreet Singh from Talwandi Sabo is sitting next to a psychiatrist at the Civil Hospital, Bathinda. While analysing his case, the psychiatrist was startled as Jaspreet is visiting him quite late and his condition has worsened now. He learnt that the patient was taken by his family to a native occultist for over a year before seeing a doctor.

Jaspreet kept staring at corner ceilings of the OPD room where he was examined for the fear that he was being watched over by CCTV cameras, but there was not even a single camera in the room. He believes that a chip is implanted in his body and some cosmic rays are controlling his behaviour/actions.

Like Jaspreet, there are more than 80 per cent of the schizophrenic patients in the district visiting the government hospital for treatment and they have already been trapped by occultists who rather than healing them are worsening their condition. A majority of patients are from rural areas of the district, according to doctors.

According to psychiatrists in the city, this is a disturbing trend as the disease is chronic and if proper medication is not given to such patients on time, they can even go on to the extent of murdering people around them.

Dr Arun Bansal, a psychiatrist at the Civil Hospital, said, “Even such patients visiting us for treatment keep on visiting occultists during and after treatment. All they need to understand is schizophrenia is mental illness (severe disorder) and not “jadu tona” \/or they are not possessed by some spirit or supernatural force. And proper medication for a fixed duration (usually longer) can only cure them. By seeking shelter at occultists, these patients are not only wasting their time and money but also deteriorating their condition, making the treatment process longer and difficult.”

The symptoms of the disease emerge between 18 and 30 years and it has been termed as the greatest disabler of youth. The causes of the disease include genetic and environmental factors. The auditory hallucination has been found to be most common diagnostic among schizophrenic patients. Those afflicted with the disease can hear one voice talking to him directly or two or more voices talking about him/her. Eating non-edible stuff, neglect for personal hygiene, putting on strange dress or accessories and disappearing from home for days together are some of the manifestations of the disease. Suicide is a most common occurrence and medication compliance is most important for such patients.