Mental health event breaks
new ground
Oct. 23,
2013, 3 p.m.
(From The
Leader Newspaper)
A
GROUND-breaking mental health event will be held in the Glenfield Community
Centre to raise the issue of mental health within Wagga’s African community.
The concept of mental health is largely foreign to more than 300 African
refugees who have settled in the city.
Mental illness is regarded as a silent crisis across
the continent of Africa, where people with mental illness are frequently
resigned to the dark corners of churches, chained to rusted hospital beds,
locked away to live behind the bars of filthy prisons or tied to sticks in
displacement camps.
Despite a growing belief amongst health organisations
and experts that investing in mental health in African countries would bolster
development across the continent and impact on the success of programs focusing
on target health issues, it has not found its way into core programs.
While there is a strong focus on health issues such as
AIDs, HIV and malaria in third-world communities, Wagga African Association Inc
representative John Moi said a lack of access to information about mental
illness in their home countries has caused the issue to be greatly
misunderstood by refugees now living in Australia.
“The concept of mental health is entirely new to us and
our understanding of mental health is completely different to people here,” he
said.
“Mental health is not recognised in the same way.
“For many African people, when someone talks about
mental illness they think of the person who is running naked down the street or
the person who behaviours very strangely.
“They don’t realise things like social isolation,
thought patterns, feeling anxious or worried or all the things we think about
are part of mental health.
“We have to create an awareness that mental health is
not madness.”
John admits the lack of awareness, stigma, feelings of shame and an
inability to recognise the signs of mental illness are leaving members of the
African community suffering in silence.
“They shy away and fear they will be shunned,” he said.
“From this event we hope to create awareness and
de-stigmatise the existence of mental health issues.
“This event is targeting the African community, but it
is open to the wider community as well.”
John believes a combination of factors could leave
African refuges vulnerable if a greater awareness about the need to address
mental health is not established.
“The challenges for refuges are different,” he said.
“Cultural differences, language barriers and
limitations, the trauma they have suffered in their past as well as things like
trying to get a job and settle in their new home can be very hard.”
The Tuongee Pamoja (Let’s Talk Together) event will
take place on Saturday November 2 from 11am to 4pm in the Glenfield Community
Centre, to coincide with Mental Health Month.
Participants will have a chance to discuss issues and
raise questions with mental health facilitators, share personal stories in a
safe and supportive environment, gain knowledge of services and enjoy African
music and dance.
There is no cost and light refreshments will be served.
