Dear Editor,

PLEASE permit me to comment on an article I read in the Guyana Chronicle, “Addressing mental health disorders.”

Mr. Editor, it is only recently I opened up about my mental health diagnosis, a condition I had since I was a teenager, but was too scared and ashamed to seek help or ever speak about it. A condition by the name of bipolar affective disorder, which is essentially a mood disorder manifested by highs and lows. I carried the burden of this secret for over 20 years, but opened up about it in 2018 to close friends. Sadly, they were not supportive, I was discriminated against and had to endure ad hominem attacks. I’ve always been plain spoken, forthright, direct and linguistically gifted, which is completely unrelated to my mental health. Because they were told of my diagnosis, every time I was me my mental health was attacked; every time I sneezed it was my mental health. I was no longer seen as a person with my unique personality; I was defined by my mental health. That was very sad.

Mr Editor, under the PPP there was never a focus on mental health, despite the fact that most of the victims were from their support base. I can see this government is trying to address this serious national issue by developing several programmes as highlighted in the aforementioned article. I’ve seen that they are several suicide helplines advertised in the Chronicle. That’s a step in the right direction, but much more needs to be done.

Please permit me to quote the Regional Health Officer Dr Nicholson, verbatim, from the said article, “We want to make mental health something that is no longer seen as a stigma, so persons could walk into the health centre and speak to someone who is competent enough to handle their mental health problems, whether it be dementia, epilepsy, or schizophrenia, or drug abuse; whether they are issues of self-harm or suicide.” I do agree with the good doctor, but this is easier said than done. I completely agree that the necessary stakeholders, namely, health professionals, police etc., need to be educated, but I also believe that the public also needs to be educated. Many are uninformed and ignorant about mental health. I alluded to my painful experiences in a letter published last week after I opened up about my mental health diagnosis in 2018. Low and behold, someone who read that letter chose to have a snipe at my mental health last week. Of course, I linguistically insulted him and dealt with him.

Please permit me to educate the public about bipolar affective disorder, since many may not have heard of it. Bi simply means two. Polar can be looked at as a spectrum with two ends. Affective simply means mood. In essence, bipolar affective disorder is a mood disorder of two moods, namely, highs and lows that is depression and mania. Doctors do not know exactly what causes it, but what has been identified thus far as factors are childhood traumas and disorder in neurotransmitters in the brain. In my case, it was likely the trauma of witnessing my mom die while I was eight-years-old, being abandoned by my father and years of physical and psychological abuse.

More often than not, patients with bipolar affective disorder are quite normal once they are on treatment. Many great scientists, actors, writers, scientists and musicians have it since it is associated with increased creativity and higher intelligence. Sir Winston Churchill, the greatest British Prime Minister, had it and he described it as his “black dog.”

Factors that can create a crisis includes lack of sleep, and stress. For example, when my brother died in 2017 I lost 40 pounds in two weeks because of severe depression, use of recreational drugs, which I had never used and alcohol, in which I don’t indulge, among other factors.

I will continue to write about my mental health issues because I know they are many out there who are scared to open up about it. I was once there and I can say this, that it is not your fault. Just as it was not President Granger’s fault when he developed cancer.

With my diagnosis I’ve been functioning quite well. I’ve outlined my achievements on many occasions. I will highlight them again not to boast, but to reinforce the point that with the right support patients with mental health disorders can live a productive life. I was the first from my batch to pass the MRCP(UK) examination in record time. I was the first from my batch to become a specialist in the UK. I was the first from my batch to be appointed a substantive consultant in the UK. I was the first from my batch to earn the FRCP(Edin) accolade. I was recently nominated by the Royal College of Physicians for the FRCP(UK) accolade. I am probably the only Guyanese to become a MRCP PACES examiner. I am a consultant at one of the top teaching hospitals in the UK.

I wrote the above to let those affected by mental health problems recognise that they too can be successfully treated and live productive lives. Government should recognise this and continue to invest in mental health. Guyana has a small population and needs everyone healthy to take it forward.

Mental health issues should not only be associated with vagrants on the streets. I am sure that they are many professionals in Guyana with mental health disorders. Let’s come on. Let’s be open about it. Let’s remove the stigma. Let’s remove the stereotypes. Let’s be the face of it.

Sadly, in 1993 under the PPP,  I did not get the support because it was not available. I think this government is going in the right direction and now that I’ve opened up about my diagnosis, I will play my small part in removing the stigma about mental health.

Regards

Mental Health Patient

Dr Mark Devonish MBBS MSc MRCP(UK) FRCP(Edin)