Mental illness in Cambodia: Raising awareness

In line at a hospital in Phnom Penh are mentally ill patients, accompanied by their family members, seeking treatment. AFP

Aside from the more apparent mentally unstable person on the streets, there are other sides to mental illness that run silently deeper and are more ominous.

Before 1993, no conceptual framework or support existed for mental health care in the Kingdom, leaving trauma-related disorders and other mental issues to go vastly untreated.

This was as reported by the only large-scale mental health survey ever conducted in Cambodia by the Royal University of Phnom Penh’s Department of Psychology in 2012.

In 1995, the Transcultural Psychosocial Organisation (TPO) Cambodia was inaugurated under the umbrella of Netherlands-based NGO TPO International. Five years later it underwent registration to become an independent local NGO, and TPO Cambodia is now operated and staffed by locals.

Dr Sotheara Chhim, senior consultant psychiatrist and executive director of TPO Cambodia, has been with the organisation for the past 14 years. He counts 22 years in the field of psychiatry as his experience, and here he gives Post Plus some updated insight on how the awareness of mental health has improved and is perceived by the Cambodian society.

Mental health remains largely a taboo in Cambodia - has the situation and awareness of mental illness improved in the last few years? 
Yes, mental health is still a taboo in Cambodia, especially in rural areas. However, during the last 20 years I can say that this has been improved on a lot because there are increasingly more people who are willing to talk about mental health, and even discuss about their mental health problems and seek help. I can see that young people are more open to talk about mental health than their parents. This is because young people may have access to information, [such as] being exposed to social media in this age compared to their parents’ generation.

Executive director of TPO Cambodia, Dr Sotheara Chhim. Photo supplied

What are the biggest factors contributing to mental illness here? 
The contributing factors to the current mental health problems in Cambodia are mostly due to the daily hassle faced by many people. These include issues like poverty, domestic violence, alcoholism, substance abuse, social change (which further include migration, urban growth, and unemployment), human rights abuse, and land grabbing. The lack of sufficiently trained mental health professionals, and the unavailability of mental health services that can reach out to the people at the grassroots level hamper the people’s ability to get early treatment and quick recovery or support.

Which governmental body is responsible for the mental health system in the country, and does TPO work with these authorities? 
The Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse (DMHSA) of the Ministry of Health (MoH) is responsible. This department may have a coordinating role to play among mental health providers in Cambodia. 

What is the most common way for Cambodians to deal with a mentally ill person and why is there still a stigma surrounding mentally unstable people? 
There are many reasons for this stigma. Many people in rural areas still believe that mental illnesses are caused by sorceries which may be treated by mediums like traditional healers and monks who can communicate with supernatural sources in order to get rid of the evil spirit. Sometimes, people believe that someone is mentally ill because of having low Reasey (Khmer for a kind of luck or fortune), and when they have low Reasey, they are more prone to suffer from mental illness. They would then seek help from monks or mediums to raise their Reasey so that they can be more immune to mental illness.

People also believe that mental illness is inherited from their parents, and this brings shame to the family. When their children have this problem, it is kept a secret because then no one would want to marry them or be associated with their family members. This, of course, delays or worsens the problem. There is also discrimination toward mental illness among employers too as they won’t employ someone who is mentally unstable.

When do you foresee mental health awareness in Cambodia becoming more accepted and understood by society? 
It is difficult to say! I think it needs a concerted effort from all levels of society. I believe that if politicians and public figures are more receptive and willing to talk about mental illness, then I am sure that the awareness of mental health in the country will increase. Thus, people will gradually accept the fact that they have some form of mental illness or other, and they will seek help on time.

Has the World Health Organisation or UN initiatives worked together with TPO in this regard? What are some of the action plans to tackle this issue? 
No, so far these global agencies only support the MoH and the DMHSA, not NGOs like us.

Fri, 20 January 2017

Hanamariya Halim l the Phnom Penh Post

Picture perfect in the city of ghosts

The winner in the open category under the theme ‘Simple Pleasure’ by Ung Ratha.

Mon, 10 October 2016

Joey Chua Xue Ting l the Phnom Penh Post

The sixth annual Canon PhotoMarathon yesterday concluded with 18 winners taking the stage, a group winnowed down from more than 1,000 contestants who had spent the day taking pictures across the capital on a series of designated themes. Some had gathered at Koh Pich Buildings G and H as early as 6:30am for registration.

Addressing the crowd in an opening speech, the president of Canon Singapore Pte Ltd, Noriko Gunji, welcomed contestants in what she called “one of the most difficult and exciting live photo competitions in Cambodia”.

“You must have enough stamina to complete three topics in a day, and also produce impressive photographs,” she said.

The winner in the student category under the theme ‘Simple Pleasure’ by Saran Sopheareach.

Organised by authorised Canon agent i-Qlick, the PhotoMarathon is heralded as the largest photography competition in Cambodia. “The aim of this event is to grow the photography culture in Cambodia,” i-Qlick’s regional marketing manager Kevin Chua said.

Chua highlighted the means of topic selection as a major difference in this year’s PhotoMarathon, noting that it now had “a little bit of lucky draw element to it” to heighten contestants’ sense of excitement.

“Previously, we announced the theme,” he said. “Now we invite one of the participants to go up there and randomly draw [to decide] which one of the themes will be chosen before each round.”

The winner in the open category under the theme ‘Music and Life’ by Or Sereiromnir.

The PhotoMarathon comprised three differently themed rounds that started at 9am, 12pm and 3pm, respectively, each producing six winners: three in the open category, and three in the student category.

Yet, many contestants shared the view that bagging a prize was not of the essence.“Winning alone is not important; it’s the experience,” said Sim So Vannkiry, 30, a fifth-time participant in the PhotoMarathon. “I can learn from the talent and the style of other contestants.”

For 27-year-old Lim Houng, joining the competition was partly to learn from Phan “Miller” Phearith, a photographer she had discovered would be part of the jury in this year’s competition.

The winner in the student category under the theme ‘Music and Life’ by Som Sokchamreun.

“I saw his portfolio around one or two years before, and I started to be interested in [the] photography field,” said the executive director at First Solutions, a company that provides photography services.

The competition also invited contestants of different nationalities and age.Ayeesha Hafiz Shrastha, a 12-year-old Bangladeshi national who had been awarded third place for the theme “Life and Shadow” last year, was hopeful to bag an award again this year.

For 59-year-old Belgian national Bernadette Vincent, a first-timer in the contest, the possibility of winning was not a primary concern.“I’m joining for fun,” she said. “If I win, it’s a bonus!”

The winner in the open category under the theme ‘Refreshing’ by Veal Chanraksmey.

The 18 winners were each awarded a new Canon DSLR camera and the opportunity to join the photography clinic at December’s Angkor Photo Festival in Siem Reap, where one grand prize winner will be selected to join other regional winners for a Canon photography clinic in Japan.

“We believe photography shouldn’t be a one person thing where you have gear, and you just shoot [photographs] by yourself,” iClick’s Chua said. “Just by being here, just by being a participant [and] having a tag [a participant’s hand stamp], you are one of them, you are one of us.

“This is how we bring people together.”

The winner in the student category under the theme ‘Refreshing’ by Noun Sonisa

Winners:
“Simple Pleasure” (Open) First: Ung Ratha, Second: Hem Chanthol, Third: Sam Prathna; (Student) First: Saran Sopheareach, Second: Ung Sokleap, Third: Long Lysong

Second place in the open category under the theme ‘Simple Pleasure’ by Hem Chanthol.

Third place in the open category under the theme ‘Simple Pleasure’ by Sam Prathna.

Second place in the student category under the theme ‘Simple Pleasure’ by Ung Sokleap.

Third place in the student category under the theme ‘Simple Pleasure’ by Long Lysong.

“Refreshing” (Open) First: Veal Chanraksmey, Second: Niki Mariager-Lam, Third: Sarith Chomroeun; (Student) First: Noun Sonisa, Second: Tay Theararithyrack, Third: Seng Gechkheang

Second place in the open category under the theme ‘Refreshing’ by Niki Mariager-Lam.

Third place in the open category under the theme ‘Refreshing’ by Sarith Chomroeun.

Second place in the student category under the theme ‘Refreshing’ by Tay Theararithyrack.

Third place in the student category under the theme ‘Refreshing’ by Seng Gechkheang.

“Music and Life” (Open) First: Or Sereiromnir, Second: Bin Sakvisal, Third: Chor Chunguong; (Student) First: Som Sokchamreun, Second: Saran Sopheareach, Third: Nou Va VannakThe Phnom Penh Post is a media partner of the 2016 Canon PhotoMarathon. To view all 18 winners visit phnompenhpost.com.

Second place in the open category under the theme ‘Music and Life’ by Bin Sakvisal.

Third place in the open category under the theme ‘Music and Life’ by Chor Chunguong.

Third place in the student category under the theme ‘Music and Life’ by Nou Va Vannak.

Second place in the student category under the theme ‘Music and Life’ by Saran Sopheareach.