[Marisa] Week 3

The past week with my NGO consisted of two consecutive days of 13 hours of volunteering, a music lesson from two doctors, and a round table discussion with India’s top mental health leaders. Needless to say, this past week of work was one of my favorites.

In the beginning of the week, I met a general practitioner who allowed me to assist her. I immediately became interested in her work as she explained to me that she performed physical examinations on clients with mental illness with physical and bodily complaints. She explained to me that there is a strong relationship between physical aches, anemia, and thyroid problems and mental illness. Sometimes the mental problem causes illusions of physical problems and sometimes physical problems appear before the mental problem. This doctor’s role with the Banyan is to diagnose the difference and decide whether a patient’s physical complaint is in need of medical fix. I plan to work with the doctor again tomorrow and am looking forward to it!

In the Thursday clinic, I was assisting another doctor, Dr. Anbu. In a specific session, I was taking notes when I looked up from my notebook to find everyone in the room staring at me, both doctors and clients. I turned to Dr. Anbu and he explained to be that while he was discussing with the client, he observed the client intensely staring at me. It turned out that the client was confused by my presence and asked the doctor if I was from abroad! Clearly my attempts at dressing in more Indian-styled clothing have not exactly proved successful.

After 13 hour clinic on Thursday with Dr. Anbu, I was getting up to go home when Dr. Anbu turned to me and told me that we were not done for the day. I was confused as all the clients had been helped. He then explained that all of the doctors and social workers learn and sing bhanjans (devotional prayer hymns to Gods and Goddesses) after all the clients leave. I was shocked that these doctors were not rushing to get home and instead were celebrating their culture and enjoying one another’s company! So I sat there for another half hour and learned a hindi bhajan!

This past Friday and Saturday, the Banyan held a round table discussion with famous psychologists, psychiatrists, political activists, and government health officials from all around the country to discuss the issue of long term care for individuals with mental illness, as well as the current status of mental health laws in India. Luckily, I was given the opportunity to sit in this room of the top 40 mental health doctors and officials in India and observe. I even met a psychiatrist who directs an established mental health hospital in New Delhi and talked with him about the possibility of visiting his hospital for a day to see how it works. I am hoping to visit next week! 

Namastey!