Diwali festivities are being used as a way to provide therapy to 150 mentally-challenged women at 'Mission Ashra' in Bhubaneswar. This Diwali India is positive and shining. For the 150 mentally-ill women at 'Mission Ashra' this festival is not just about crackers. For the past eight years, this rehabilitation centre has successfully used Diwali festivities as a therapy for the recovery of these patients.
'Mission Ashra' has transformed the lives of many, including Indira Choudhary, by giving the 38-year-old the much-needed refuge to recover from a nervous breakdown after her father's death in 2006. Regular treatment at the centre and being a part of Diwali festivities has helped her overcome her demons.
Indira Chaudhary said, "Celebrating Diwali has been therapeutic. I enjoy the festival a lot and feel very happy on the occasion." However, not everyone at the centre is as lucky as Indira. Gita, for instance, is unaware that Diwali celebration is more therapeutic than ritualistic.
Since its inception in 2003, Mission Ashra has rescued 547 mentally-challenged women from the streets and railway stations. So far 367 women have been reunited with their families after such therapeutic treatment.
Dr Nilamadhab Rath, HOD, Psychiatric Dept, SCB Medical college, Cuttack, said, "Withdrawal is a symptom of chronic mental illness because of the social breakdown they suffer. When they are involved in festivities like Diwali it's therapeutic as they relate to their past and have a change in the mindset."
Orissa, which does not have a single government-run mental health rehabilitation centre, has an estimated three-lakh plus people suffering from mental illness.
Gobinda Patnaik, the founder of 'Mission Ashra', has done a yeoman's service taking care of more than 150 mentally-challenged women. While donations sometimes prove inadequate, Patnaik remains optimistic. Celebrations like Diwali might not be the only reason for the recovery of such mentally-challenged women but experts believe it definitely play a big role in their treatment.
