The stigma and struggle of mental health in the Maldives
The Maldives has an acute shortage of qualified mental health professionals despite growing mental health problems among the population.
18 Oct 2017, 9:00 AM
On World Mental Health Day earlier this month, 27-year-old Aisha* Mohamed was eating fried chicken at a seaside café in the Maldivian capital Malé. Her laughter hid the long day she had had. Her humour also concealed issues that affected her more. Issues that affect many Maldivians who have challenges diagnosing and treating them.
“Three years ago in Turkey, I was diagnosed with borderline personality disorder, depression, anxiety and post-traumatic stress disorder,” Aisha said while slowly scratching her arms because of a skin condition. Her whole family was asked to do tests. Her siblings, even her aunts and uncles, have mental health issues.
“I have had doctors make remarks and jokes about how certain mental health disorders are not real diseases. One day I was having an episode and my friend called the hospital, told them I needed immediate care and a psychiatrist.
“But when we went to the emergency room, they said that desire to harm is not an emergency and that it is considered an emergency only if I have physically hurt someone already,” she said.
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