Culture and severe mental illness in Uganda

March 15, 2018

While conducting a post hospital discharge visit, the You Belong team learnt that ‘Natalie’, who was diagnosed with chronic psychosis, had stopped taking her medication, believing that Jesus had healed her. She told us a lot about her belief in her pastor who prayed for her. To our surprise, we also learned that the Pastor was the person who told her to go to Butabika mental hospital when she was ‘prayed for in vain’ following a relapse and the return of her symptoms of talking to herself, irritability, violence and destroying property. We identified this religious leader as a key person in positively influencing the health-seeking behavior of his followers. We decided to pay him a visit.

“When a demon attacks an individual, she is brought for prayers, I pray for her and the demon is chased away but it leaves a wound, I refer them to Butabika hospital for the wound to be treated since it cannot be healed without medication. Sometimes even the brain tilts itself in the process and then they talk too much, I refer them to Butabika hospital for the brain to be put in the right position so that they can stop talking too much” he explained.

Culture plays a dominant role in the local understanding of the causes and treatments of severe mental illness. Most people are taken to traditional healers or faith healers at first. It is rare to find a faith healer or traditional healer who also refers people to what is seen as ‘western’ medical care. This was a great opportunity for You Belong and we were quick to establish a connection with this pastor, and hopefully, a cooperative relationship for the future.