For long people with mental health conditions have been treated as fly on the walls of psychiatry driven mental health care support. These systems of care have often silenced the voices of people with psychosocial disabilities and constructed them as passive users of the medical system. However, persons with psychosocial disabilities everywhere are reclaiming their right to have a say within the system and to determine the contours of care. At Mad in Asia Pacific we aim to highlight the efforts in Asia and Pacific region of care and support initiatives that are led by persons with psychosocial disabilities themselves.
This week, we shed light on one such initiative by Mental Illness Awareness & Support Association (MIASA), or Persatuan Kesedaran Dan Sokongan Penyakit Mental, a mental Health NGO based in Selangor, Malaysia. Founded in September 2017, MIASA seeks to promote awareness on the importance of mental health and mental health issues and provide support for patients and carers through various programs and support initiatives. It is patient-initiated and focuses on providing holistic solutions, that are based in both medicine and spirituality.
The initiative in focus is a part of the Circle Time program of MIASA. Circle Time provides a space for ‘patients and caregivers to share their story, their struggles, to seek help, to see hope, to motivate and empower the self and others, and most importantly not to feel alone in this fight and struggle.’
FINE: Frightened, Isolated, Numb and Exhausted
The video is a part of the documentary project titled FINE: Frightened, Isolated, Numb and Exhausted’ , shot by media student, Shanaa Fatihah, in collaboration with MIASA and MindaKami.
